Interactions between youth and mental health professionals: The Youth Aware of Mental health (YAM) program experience.

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Wasserman, Camilla; Postuvan, Vita; Herta, Dana; Iosue, Miriam; Värnik, Peeter; Carli, Vladimir

2018-01-01

Youth stand at the core of much mental health promotion, yet little is written about their experiences of such efforts. We aimed to take this on by interviewing youth after they participated in Youth Aware of Mental Health (YAM), a universal mental health promotion program. YAM has a non-anticipatory methodology that provides youth with a safe space for reflection, role-play, and discussion. Addressing everyday mental health, YAM invites the experiences and issues relevant to the youth present to influence the program in a slightly different direction every time. The YAM instructor guides the participants but does not present the youth with given formulas on how to solve their problems. Like any mental health promotion, YAM appeals to some more than others in its intended audience and individuals engage with the program in many different ways. We set out to learn more about these experiences. Thirty-two semi-structured interviews were conducted with 15-17 year olds in Estonia, Italy, Romania and Spain. In these interviews, the researchers made an effort to discuss mental health in terms relevant to youth. Still, wide-ranging levels of motivation, ease with engaging in dialogue with mental health professionals, and comfort with the format and content of YAM were detected. The youth were clustered in five different groups relating to their positioning vis-à-vis the researcher during the interview. The following evocative labels were used: "interested", "foot in the door", "respect for authority", "careful", and "not my topic". Corresponding labels were devised for their YAM experience: "engaged", "initially hesitant", "cautious", "eager to please", or "disengaged". We also observed that the researchers brought their own expectations and employed a variety of approaches that led to anticipating answers, stating the obvious, or getting along better with some of the youth. These modes of interaction were categorized under: "favoritism", "familiarity", "frustration

Factors influencing korean international students' preferences for mental health professionals: a conjoint analysis.

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Lee, Eun-Jeong; Chan, Fong; Ditchman, Nicole; Feigon, Maia

2014-01-01

Asian students comprise over half of all international students in the United States, yet little is known about their help-seeking behaviors and preferences for mental health professionals. The purpose of this study was to use conjoint analysis to examine characteristics of mental health professionals influencing Korean international students' preferences when choosing a mental health professional. Korean international students from three universities in the United States were recruited on a volunteer basis to participate in this study (N = 114). Results indicated that mental health professional characteristics, including ethnicity, age, professional identity, and training institution, were significant factors in students' preference formation; however, gender of the mental health professional was not found to be a significant factor in the present study. Ethnic similarity was the most powerful predictor of preference formation. Implications for promoting help-seeking and mental health service utilization among Asian international students are discussed.

Self-help groups for former patients: relations with mental health professionals.

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Emerick, R E

1990-04-01

Data from a national survey of 104 self-help groups for former mental patients were examined to assess actual and potential partnerships between these groups and mental health professionals. The groups' level of interaction with and attitudes toward professionals varied with the structure, affiliation, and service model of the groups. The majority were moderate "supportive" groups in which partnerships with professionals could occur but were problematic. Less common were radical "separatist" groups, with which professional partnerships were almost guaranteed to fail, and conservative "partnership" groups, with which partnerships were likely to succeed. Strong antipsychiatric attitudes throughout the mental patient movement suggest that mental health professionals who approach former-patient groups with narrow clinical conceptions of mental illness are likely to fail in establishing partnerships.

The attitudes of mental health professionals towards patients' desire for children.

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Krumm, Silvia; Checchia, Carmen; Badura-Lotter, Gisela; Kilian, Reinhold; Becker, Thomas

2014-03-02

When a patient with a serious mental illness expresses a desire for children, mental health professionals are faced with an ethical dilemma. To date, little research has been conducted into their strategies for dealing with these issues. Seven focus groups with a total of 49 participants from all professional groups active in mental health (nurses, psychologists, social workers and psychiatrists) were conducted in a 330-bed psychiatric hospital. Group discussions were transcribed verbatim and analysed by the documentary method described by Bohnsack. Mental health professionals did not feel that their patients' desire for children was as important in daily practice as were parenting issues. When discussing the desire for children on the part of patients, the following themes emerged: "the patient's own decision", "neutrality", "the patient's well-being", "issues affecting the children of mentally ill parents" and "appropriate parenthood". In order to cope with what they perceived as conflicting norms, mental health professionals developed the following (discursive) strategies: "subordination of child welfare", "de-professionalisation", "giving rational advice" and "resignation". The theme of "reproductive autonomy" dominated mental health professionals' discourse on the desire for children among psychiatric patients. "Reproductive autonomy" stood in conflict with another important theme (patient's children). Treating reproductive issues as taboo is the result of the gap between MHPs' perceptions of (conflicting) norms when dealing with a patient's desire for children and the limited opportunities to cope with them appropriately.In order to support both patients with a desire for children and mental health professionals who are charged with providing counselling for such patients, there is a need to encourage ethical reflection and to focus on clinical recommendations in this important area.

Cognitive schemas among mental health professionals: Adaptive or maladaptive?

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Sahoo Saddichha

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Objectives: Maladaptive cognitive schemas can lead to biases during clinical assessment or psychotherapeutic interventions. This study aimed to explore the cognitive schemas among mental health professionals. Materials and Methods: 100 mental health professionals, of both genders, equally divided between psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers, and psychiatric nurses, were approached and administered the Young Schema Questionnaire - Short Form after written informed consent. Results: Males had higher maladaptive schemas than female respondents across all schema domains, viz., disconnection/rejection, impaired autonomy, impaired limits, other-directedness, and overvigilance (P ≤ 0.05. Psychiatrists had higher maladaptive schemas than psychologists (P ≤ 0.05. Age was weakly but positively corelated with the schemas of self-sacrifice (P = 0.038 and unrelenting standards (P = 0.002 . Conclusions: Mental health professionals also may have maladaptive schemas, which needs to be addressed through schema therapy.

Enabling professional development in mental health nursing: the role of clinical leadership.

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Ennis, G; Happell, B; Reid-Searl, K

2015-10-01

Clinical leadership is acknowledged as important to the nursing profession. While studies continue to identify its significance in contributing to positive outcomes for consumers, the role that clinical leadership has in enabling and supporting professional development in mental health nursing is poorly understood. This study utilized a grounded theory methodology to explore the characteristics clinicians consider important for clinical leadership and its significance for mental health nursing in day-to-day clinical practice. Individual face-to-face, semi-structured interviews were conducted with nurses working in mental health settings. Participants described the important role that clinical leaders play in enabling professional development of others through role modelling and clinical teaching. They describe how nurses, whom they perceive as clinical leaders, use role modelling and clinical teaching to influence the professional development of nursing staff and undergraduate nursing students. Attributes such as professionalism and honesty were seen, by participants, as enablers for clinical leaders in effectively and positively supporting the professional development of junior staff and undergraduate nurses in mental health nursing. This paper examines clinical leadership from the perspective of mental health nurses delivering care, and highlights the important role of clinical leaders in supporting professional development in mental health nursing. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Bilingual Glossary of Professional Mental Health Terms = Glosario Bilingue de Terminos Profesionales de Salud Mental.

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Cherry, Ralph, Comp.

Designed to acquaint social workers and other professionals in the mental health field with the basic terms necessary for professional discussions, paper presentations, and international correspondence, the English/Spanish-Spanish/English glossary lists 130 selected mental health terms. The glossary includes two sections: English to Spanish and…

Violent Extremism, Community-Based Violence Prevention, and Mental Health Professionals.

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Weine, Stevan M; Stone, Andrew; Saeed, Aliya; Shanfield, Stephen; Beahrs, John; Gutman, Alisa; Mihajlovic, Aida

2017-01-01

New community-based initiatives being developed to address violent extremism in the United States are utilizing mental health services and leadership. This article reviews current approaches to preventing violent extremism, the contribution that mental illness and psychosocial problems can make to violent extremism, and the rationale for integrating mental health strategies into preventing violent extremism. The authors describe a community-based targeted violence prevention model and the potential roles of mental health professionals. This model consists of a multidisciplinary team that assesses at-risk individuals with comprehensive threat and behavioral evaluations, arranges for ongoing support and treatment, conducts follow-up evaluations, and offers outreach, education, and resources for communities. This model would enable mental health professionals in local communities to play key roles in preventing violent extremism through their practice and leadership.

Do biogenetic causal beliefs reduce mental illness stigma in people with mental illness and in mental health professionals? A systematic review.

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Larkings, Josephine S; Brown, Patricia M

2018-06-01

Viewing mental illness as an 'illness like any other' and promoting biogenetic causes have been explored as a stigma-reduction strategy. The relationship between causal beliefs and mental illness stigma has been researched extensively in the general public, but has gained less attention in more clinically-relevant populations (i.e. people with mental illness and mental health professionals). A systematic review examining whether endorsing biogenetic causes decreases mental illness stigma in people with mental illness and mental health professionals was undertaken using the preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses guidelines. Multiple databases were searched, and studies that explored the relationship between biogenetic causal beliefs and mental illness stigma in people with mental illness or mental health professionals were considered. Studies were included if they focussed on depression, schizophrenia, or mental illness in general, were in English, and had adult participants. The search identified 11 journal articles reporting on 15 studies, which were included in this review. Of these, only two provided evidence that endorsing biogenetic causes was associated with less mental illness stigma in people with mental illness or mental health professionals. The majority of studies in the present review (n = 10) found that biogenetic causal beliefs were associated with increased stigma or negative attitudes towards mental illness. The present review highlights the lack of research exploring the impacts of endorsing biogenetic causes in people with mental illness and mental health professionals. Clinical implications associated with these results are discussed, and suggestions are made for further research that examines the relationship between causal beliefs and treatment variables. © 2017 Australian College of Mental Health Nurses Inc.

A constructivist grounded theory of generalist health professionals and their mental health work.

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Brunero, Scott; Ramjan, Lucie M; Salamonson, Yenna; Nicholls, Daniel

2018-05-30

Generalist health professionals, often without formal mental health training, provide treatment and care to people with serious mental illness who present with physical health problems in general hospital settings. This article will present findings from a constructivist grounded theory study of the work delivered by generalist health staff to consumers with mental illness on the general medical/surgical wards of two metropolitan hospitals in Sydney, Australia. The results analysed included three participant observations, two focus groups, and 21 interviews and hospital policy and protocol documents. A substantive theory of mental health work in general hospital settings is illustrated which conceptualizes the following categories: (i) the experience: conflicting realities and ideals; (ii) The Context: facilitating social distancing; and (iii) the social processes: invisibility affecting confidence. The categories are understood through the theoretical lens of symbolic interactionism with the theory providing insights into how the generalist health professionals understand their sense of self or identity. © 2018 Australian College of Mental Health Nurses Inc.

Supporting the Development of Latino Bilingual Mental Health Professionals

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Peters, Michelle L.; Sawyer, Cheryl B.; Guzmán, Michele R.; Graziani, Cate

2014-01-01

Latino individuals who prefer to communicate in Spanish lack linguistically and culturally proficient mental health professionals with whom they can communicate effectively. This study illustrates the components necessary to facilitate the overall success of Latino, Spanish-speaking students in attaining advanced degrees in mental health services…

The attitudes of mental health professionals towards patients’ desire for children

Science.gov (United States)

2014-01-01

Background When a patient with a serious mental illness expresses a desire for children, mental health professionals are faced with an ethical dilemma. To date, little research has been conducted into their strategies for dealing with these issues. Methods Seven focus groups with a total of 49 participants from all professional groups active in mental health (nurses, psychologists, social workers and psychiatrists) were conducted in a 330-bed psychiatric hospital. Group discussions were transcribed verbatim and analysed by the documentary method described by Bohnsack. Results Mental health professionals did not feel that their patients’ desire for children was as important in daily practice as were parenting issues. When discussing the desire for children on the part of patients, the following themes emerged: “the patient’s own decision”, “neutrality”, “the patient’s well-being”, “issues affecting the children of mentally ill parents” and “appropriate parenthood”. In order to cope with what they perceived as conflicting norms, mental health professionals developed the following (discursive) strategies: "subordination of child welfare", "de-professionalisation", "giving rational advice" and "resignation". Conclusions The theme of “reproductive autonomy” dominated mental health professionals’ discourse on the desire for children among psychiatric patients. “Reproductive autonomy” stood in conflict with another important theme (patient’s children). Treating reproductive issues as taboo is the result of the gap between MHPs’ perceptions of (conflicting) norms when dealing with a patient’s desire for children and the limited opportunities to cope with them appropriately. In order to support both patients with a desire for children and mental health professionals who are charged with providing counselling for such patients, there is a need to encourage ethical reflection and to focus on clinical recommendations in this important

Marital Status and Occupational Success Among Mental Health Professionals

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Marx, John H.; Spray, S. Lee

1970-01-01

Concludes that personal relations, professional experiences and occupational success form a network of relationships which integrate the occupational and nonoccupational roles of highly specialized practitioners. Part of a Study of Careers in the Mental Health Field, supported by National Institute of Mental Health Grant MH-09192 and directed by…

Mental health professionals' family-focused practice with families with dependent children: a survey study.

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Tungpunkom, Patraporn; Maybery, Darryl; Reupert, Andrea; Kowalenko, Nick; Foster, Kim

2017-12-08

Many people with a mental illness are parents caring for dependent children. These children are at greater risk of developing their own mental health concerns compared to other children. Mental health services are opportune places for healthcare professionals to identify clients' parenting status and address the needs of their children. There is a knowledge gap regarding Thai mental health professionals' family-focused knowledge and practices when working with parents with mental illness and their children and families. This cross -sectional survey study examined the attitudes, knowledge and practices of a sample (n = 349) of the Thai mental health professional workforce (nurses, social workers, psychologists, psychiatrists) using a translated version of the Family-Focused Mental Health Practice Questionnaire (FFMHPQ). The majority of clinicians reported no training in family (76.8%) or child-focused practice (79.7%). Compared to other professional groups, psychiatric nurses reported lower scores on almost all aspects of family-focused practice except supporting clients in their parenting role within the context of their mental illness. Social workers scored highest overall including having more workplace support for family-focused practice as well as a higher awareness of family-focused policy and procedures than psychiatrists; social workers also scored higher than psychologists on providing support to families and parents. All mental health care professional groups reported a need for training and inter-professional practice when working with families. The findings indicate an important opportunity for the prevention of intergenerational mental illness in whose parents have mental illness by strengthening the professional development of nurses and other health professionals in child and family-focused knowledge and practice.

Mental Health Professionals' Attitudes Toward Offenders With Mental Illness (Insanity Acquittees) in Ghana.

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Adjorlolo, Samuel; Abdul-Nasiru, Inusah; Chan, Heng Choon Oliver; Bambi, Laryea Efua

2018-02-01

Mental health professionals' attitudes toward offenders with mental illness have significant implications for the quality of care and treatment rendered, making it imperative for these professionals to be aware of their attitudes. Yet, this topical issue has received little research attention. Consequently, the present study investigates attitudes toward offenders with mental illness (insanity acquittees) in a sample of 113 registered mental health nurses in Ghana. Using a cross-sectional survey and self-report methodology, the participants respond to measures of attitudes toward offenders with mental illness, attitudes toward mental illness, conviction proneness, and criminal blameworthiness. The results show that mental health nurses who reportedly practiced for a longer duration (6 years and above) were more likely to be unsympathetic, while the male nurses who were aged 30 years and above were more likely to hold offenders with mental illness strictly liable for their offenses. Importantly, the nurses' scores in conviction proneness and criminal blameworthiness significantly predict negative attitudes toward the offenders even after controlling for their attitudes toward mental illness. Yet, when the nurses' conviction proneness and criminal blameworthiness were held constant, their attitudes toward mental illness failed to predict attitudes toward the offenders. This initial finding implies that the nurses' views regarding criminal blameworthiness and conviction may be more influential in understanding their attitudes toward offenders with mental illness relative to their attitudes toward mental illness.

Mental and psychosocial health among current and former professional footballers.

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Gouttebarge, V; Frings-Dresen, M H W; Sluiter, J K

2015-04-01

In common with elite athletes from other sport disciplines, severe or recurrent injuries in professional footballers are considered to be major physical and psychosocial stressors, which may predispose to mental health problems during and after their career. To determine the prevalence of mental health problems and psychosocial difficulties in current and former professional footballers, and to explore the association between psychosocial stressors and the health conditions studied. Based on validated scales, a paper and electronic questionnaire was developed for current and former professional footballers and distributed by the World Footballers' Union (FIFPro) and players' unions in six countries. Prevalence was calculated and cross-sectional analyses were conducted. The response rate was 29% with 253 responses available for analysis. The prevalence of mental health complaints ranged from 5% (burnout) to 26% (anxiety/depression) in 149 current players and from 16% (burnout) to 39% (anxiety/depression) in 104 former footballers. The prevalence of psychosocial problems ranged from 3% (low self-esteem) to 26% (adverse nutrition behaviour) in current players and from 5% (low self-esteem) to 42% (adverse nutrition behaviour) in former footballers. In both current and former players, mental health problems were significantly associated with low social support (odds ratio [OR] = 1.1) and recent life events (OR = 1.4-1.6). In former players, previous surgery was significantly associated with smoking (OR = 1.9). The prevalence of mental health problems and/or psychosocial difficulties in current and former professional footballers was found to be high. The presence of mental health problems was associated with low social support and recent life events. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society of Occupational Medicine. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Knowledge and attitudes of mental health professionals in Ireland to the concept of recovery in mental health: a questionnaire survey.

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Cleary, A; Dowling, M

2009-08-01

Recovery is the model of care presently advocated for mental health services internationally. The aim of this study was to examine the knowledge and attitudes of mental health professionals to the concept of recovery in mental health. A descriptive survey approach was adopted, and 153 health care professionals (nurses, doctors, social workers, occupational therapists and psychologists) completed an adapted version of the Recovery Knowledge Inventory. The respondents indicated their positive approach to the adoption of recovery as an approach to care in the delivery of mental health services. However, respondents were less comfortable in encouraging healthy risk taking with service users. This finding is important because therapeutic risk taking and hope are essential aspects in the creation of a care environment that promotes recovery. Respondents were also less familiar with the non-linearity of the recovery process and placed greater emphasis on symptom management and compliance with treatment. Multidisciplinary mental health care teams need to examine their attitudes and approach to a recovery model of care. The challenge for the present and into the future is to strive to equip professionals with the necessary skills in the form of information and training.

"A constant struggle to receive mental health care": health care professionals' acquired experience of barriers to mental health care services in Rwanda.

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Rugema, Lawrence; Krantz, Gunilla; Mogren, Ingrid; Ntaganira, Joseph; Persson, Margareta

2015-12-16

In Rwanda, many people are still mentally affected by the consequences of the genocide and yet mental health care facilities are scarce. While available literature explains the prevalence and consequences of mental disorders, there is lack of knowledge from low-income countries on health care seeking behavior due to common mental disorders. Therefore, this study sought to explore health care professionals' acquired experiences of barriers and facilitators that people with common mental disorders face when seeking mental health care services in Rwanda. A qualitative approach was applied and data was collected from six focus group discussions (FGDs) conducted in October 2012, including a total of 43 health care professionals, men and women in different health professions. The FGDs were performed at health facilities at different care levels. Data was analyzed using manifest and latent content analysis. The emerging theme "A constant struggle to receive mental health care for mental disorders" embraced a number of barriers and few facilitators at individual, family, community and structural levels that people faced when seeking mental health care services. Identified barriers people needed to overcome were: Poverty and lack of family support, Fear of stigmatization, Poor community awareness of mental disorders, Societal beliefs in traditional healers and prayers, Scarce resources in mental health care and Gender imbalance in care seeking behavior. The few facilitators to receive mental health care were: Collaboration between authorities and organizations in mental health and having a Family with awareness of mental disorders and health insurance. From a public health perspective, this study revealed important findings of the numerous barriers and the few facilitating factors available to people seeking health for mental disorders. Having a supportive family with awareness of mental disorders who also were equipped with a health insurance was perceived as vital for

A qualitative exploration of the perspectives of mental health professionals on stigma and discrimination of mental illness in Malaysia.

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Hanafiah, Ainul Nadhirah; Van Bortel, Tine

2015-01-01

Stigma of mental illness has been identified as a significant barrier to help-seeking and care. Basic knowledge of mental illness - such as its nature, symptoms and impact - are neglected, leaving room for misunderstandings on mental health and 'stigma'. Numerous researches have been conducted on stigma and discrimination of people with mental disorders. However, most of the literature investigates stigma from a cultural conception point of view, experiences of patients or public attitudes towards mental illness but little to none from the standpoint of mental health professionals. In Malaysia, this research on stigma is particularly limited. Therefore, the state of stigma and discrimination of people with mental illness was investigated from the perspectives of mental health professionals in Malaysia. In-depth, face-to-face, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 15 mental health professionals from both government and private sectors including psychiatrists, psychologists and counsellors. The interviews were approximately 45-minutes long. The data was subsequently analysed using the basic thematic approach. Seven principal themes, each with their own sub-themes, emerged from the analysis of 'stigma of mental illness' from mental health professionals' point of view, including: (1) main perpetrators, (2) types of mental illness carrying stigma, (3) demography and geography of stigma, (4) manifestations of stigma, (5) impacts of stigma, (6) causes of stigma and (7) proposed initiatives to tackle stigma. Stigma of mental illness is widespread in Malaysia. This is most evident amongst people suffering from conditions such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and depression. Stigma manifests itself most often in forms of labelling, rejection, social exclusion and in employment. Family, friends and workplace staff are reported to be the main perpetrators of discriminatory conducts. According to the perspectives of the mental health professionals, implications of

Roles of psychiatrists and other professionals in mental healthcare: Results of a formal group judgement method among mental health professionals

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Hutschemaekers, G.J.M.; Tiemens, B.G.; Kaasenbrood, A.J.A.

2005-01-01

Background Professional boundaries between psychiatrists and other mental health professionals are difficult to set. Empirical evidence for the distribution of diagnostic and treatment tasks among professionals is lacking. Aims This study examines the ‘collective sense of the profession’ about the

?A constant struggle to receive mental health care?: health care professionals? acquired experience of barriers to mental health care services in Rwanda

OpenAIRE

Rugema, Lawrence; Krantz, Gunilla; Mogren, Ingrid; Ntaganira, Joseph; Persson, Margareta

2015-01-01

BACKGROUND: In Rwanda, many people are still mentally affected by the consequences of the genocide and yet mental health care facilities are scarce. While available literature explains the prevalence and consequences of mental disorders, there is lack of knowledge from low-income countries on health care seeking behavior due to common mental disorders. Therefore, this study sought to explore health care professionals' acquired experiences of barriers and facilitators that people with common m...

User violence towards nursing professionals in mental health services and emergency units

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bartolomé Llor-Esteban

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Workplace violence is present in many work sectors, but in the area of mental health, nurses have a higher risk due to the close relationship they have with users. This study analyzed hostile user statements against nursing professionals of Mental Health Services and Emergency Units in Health Service (MHS hospitals in Murcia, Spain, and determined the frequency of exposure to the different violent user behaviors. The study was carried out with a sample of 518 nursing professionals from four hospital services: Mental Health, Emergency Units, Medical Hospitalization, and Maternal-and-Child. The nursing staff of Mental Health and Emergency Units was the most exposed to violence. Non-physical violence was more frequent in Emergency Units, whereas physical violence was more frequent in Mental Health. Among the consequences of exposure to non-physical violence are workers’ emotional exhaustion and the presence of psychological distress.

Factors that influence the professional resilience of occupational therapists in mental health practice.

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Ashby, Samantha E; Ryan, Susan; Gray, Mel; James, Carole

2013-04-01

Mental health practice can create challenging environments for occupational therapists. This study explores the dynamic processes involved in the development and maintenance of professional resilience of experienced mental health occupational therapy practitioners. It presents the PRIOrity model that summarises the dynamic relationship between professional resilience, professional identity and occupation-based practice. A narrative inquiry methodology with two phases of interviews was used to collect the data from nine experienced mental health practitioners. Narrative thematic analysis was used to interpret the data. Professional resilience was linked to: (i) professional identity which tended to be negatively influenced in contexts dominated by biomedical models and psychological theories; (ii) expectations on occupational therapists to work outside their professional domains and use generic knowledge; and (iii) lack of validation of occupation-focussed practice. Professional resilience was sustained by strategies that maintained participants' professional identity. These strategies included seeking 'good' supervision, establishing support networks and finding a job that allowed a match between valued knowledge and opportunities to use it in practice. For occupational therapists professional resilience is sustained and enhanced by a strong professional identity and valuing an occupational perspective of health. Strategies that encourage reflection on the theoretical knowledge underpinning practice can sustain resilience. These include supervision, in-service meetings and informal socialisation. Further research is required into the role discipline-specific theories play in sustaining professional values and identity. The development of strategies to enhance occupational therapists' professional resilience may assist in the retention of occupational therapists in the mental health workforce. © 2012 The Authors Australian Occupational Therapy Journal © 2012

Influence of Child Factors on Health-Care Professionals' Recognition of Common Childhood Mental-Health Problems

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Burke, Delia A; Koot, Hans M; de Wilde, Amber; Begeer, Sander

2016-01-01

Early recognition of childhood mental-health problems can help minimise long-term negative outcomes. Recognition of mental-health problems, needed for referral and diagnostic evaluation, is largely dependent on health-care professionals' (HCPs) judgement of symptoms presented by the child. This

The Influence of Work Characteristics in the Quality of Life of Mental Health Professionals

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Andreia Paula

2014-06-01

Full Text Available Background: Mental health professionals are the main instrument for intervention in this area considered as a priority in Public Health and are subject to emotional exhaustion and stress that can negatively affect their quality of life. Aims: This study aims to assess the influence of job characteristics on health-related quality of life of health professionals.Methods: To address this it was decided to conduct a cross-sectional analytical study with a quantitative approach. SF-36v2 was used as a generic instrument for assessing quality of life, which is already validated for Portuguese population, complemented by a social and professional survey. Data collection took place from 28 January to 30 April 2013.Results and Conclusions: The sample comprised 201 mental health professionals in Portugal. Health-related quality of life shows statistically significant differences in the groups of studied professionals, according to the number of hours worked per week (p=0.04 and the degree of job satisfaction (p<0.001. The assessment of the quality of life of mental health professionals allows the implementation of changes in the organization of mental health services and may contribute to an improvement in the provision of healthcare services.

Risk of burnout among early career mental health professionals.

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Volpe, U; Luciano, M; Palumbo, C; Sampogna, G; Del Vecchio, V; Fiorillo, A

2014-01-01

Burnout is a stress-related syndrome that often affects mental health professionals (MHPs) and may have serious consequences on personal well-being as well as on the quality of provided psychiatric care. Established literature shows a high risk to develop burnout among MHPs. Few data are available on the incidence and on the clinical implications of the burnout syndrome in the early phases of MHP professional career. We confirmed the presence of burnout among early career MHPs: early career psychiatrists showed a lower sense of personal accomplishment, while non-medical MHPs tended to have more depersonalization and suffered from higher levels of depression. Specific programmes to identify the presence of the burnout syndrome and to cope with it should be taught within mental health training curricula. Burnout is a stress-related syndrome that often affects professionals working in emotionally loaded and highly interpersonal environments. Mental health professionals (MHPs) are long known to be at high risk to develop the burnout syndrome, but this has rarely been investigated in professionals in an early phase of career. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the presence of the burnout syndrome and of depressive symptoms among early career psychiatrists and 'non-medical' MHPs. One hundred MHPs (including 50 psychiatrists and 50 non-medical MHPs) were screened for the presence of burnout and depression, with the Maslach Burnout Inventory and the Beck Depression Inventory - revised, respectively. The relationships of burnout with socio-demographical and professional characteristics were also explored. We confirmed the presence of burnout among both groups of early career MHPs, but psychiatrists had a significantly higher degree of emotional exhaustion and a lower sense of personal accomplishment, while non-medical MHPs adopted more frequently depersonalization as a coping strategy and had higher scores for depression, which is associated with higher level of

Mental and psychosocial health among current and former professional footballers

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Gouttebarge, V.; Frings-Dresen, M. H. W.; Sluiter, J. K.

2015-01-01

In common with elite athletes from other sport disciplines, severe or recurrent injuries in professional footballers are considered to be major physical and psychosocial stressors, which may predispose to mental health problems during and after their career. To determine the prevalence of mental

Hidden talents: mental health professionals explore their lived experiences of mental health challenges in the workplace: an interpretative phenomenological analysis

OpenAIRE

Gough, Harriet

2016-01-01

Background Lived experience of mental health conditions is becoming valued within mainstream mental health service delivery. This is reflected in the rising employment of Peer Support Workers (PSWs) to support and enhance clients’ recovery. However, the lived experience of mental health professionals has been spuriously overlooked in the literature. To date, no studies have explored the influence of lived experience on professionals’ roles, identity, work relationships, or its potentia...

Perception of Suicide Risk in Mental Health Professionals

OpenAIRE

Gale, Tim M.; Hawley, Christopher J.; Butler, John; Morton, Adrian; Singhal, Ankush

2016-01-01

This study employed an independent-groups design (4 conditions) to investigate possible biases in the suicide risk perception of mental health professionals. Four hundred participants comprising doctors, nurses and social workers viewed a vignette describing a fictitious patient with a long-term mental illness. The case was presented as being drawn from a sample of twenty similar clinical case reports, of which 10 were associated with an outcome of suicide. The participant tasks were (i) to d...

Mental health professionals' acceptance of online counseling

OpenAIRE

Lazuras, Lambros; Dokou, Anna

2016-01-01

The development of online counseling services has followed the advent on information and communication technologies. The present study assessed mental health professionals' perspectives of online counseling by using an extended version of the technology acceptance model. Participants completed anonymous structured questionnaires assessing technology acceptance-related variables, including perceived usefulness and ease of use, usage intentions, job relevance, social norms, attitudes, computer ...

Implicit Bias and Mental Health Professionals: Priorities and Directions for Research.

Science.gov (United States)

Merino, Yesenia; Adams, Leslie; Hall, William J

2018-06-01

This Open Forum explores the role of implicit bias along the mental health care continuum, which may contribute to mental health disparities among vulnerable populations. Emerging research shows that implicit bias is prevalent among service providers. These negative or stigmatizing attitudes toward population groups are held at a subconscious level and are automatically activated during practitioner-client encounters. The authors provide examples of how implicit bias may impede access to care, clinical screening and diagnosis, treatment processes, and crisis response. They also discuss how implicit attitudes may manifest at the intersection between mental health and criminal justice institutions. Finally, they discuss the need for more research on the impact of implicit bias on health practices throughout the mental health system, including the development of interventions to address implicit bias among mental health professionals.

Managing Food Allergies at School: School Mental Health Professionals

Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Podcasts

2015-01-20

This podcast highlights the role of school mental health professionals in the management of food allergies in schools. It also identifies CDC food allergy resources for schools.  Created: 1/20/2015 by National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (NCCDPHP).   Date Released: 1/20/2015.

Talking about stigma towards mental health professionals with psychiatry trainees: a movie club approach.

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Kalra, Gurvinder

2012-09-01

Psychiatry as a discipline is often perceived as 'different' by other medical professionals as much as by a common man. This perception of 'difference' may give rise to stigma both towards mental illness and to mental health professionals. Mental health professionals are thus both recipients of stigma and agents who can de-stigmatize psychiatry. A psychiatry movie club approach can be a very useful learning experience to understand various aspects of this stigmatization process. This paper presents a brief account of such an endeavour in which the film Gothika (2003) was used to help psychiatry trainees talk about their experiences with stigma towards mental illness as well as their profession. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Mental health promotion competencies in the health sector in Finland: a qualitative study of the views of professionals.

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Tamminen, Nina; Solin, Pia; Stengård, Eija; Kannas, Lasse; Kettunen, Tarja

2017-07-01

In this study, we aimed to investigate what competencies are needed for mental health promotion in health sector practice in Finland. A qualitative study was carried out to seek the views of mental health professionals regarding mental health promotion-related competencies. The data were collected via two focus groups and a questionnaire survey of professionals working in the health sector in Finland. The focus groups consisted of a total of 13 professionals. Further, 20 questionnaires were received from the questionnaire survey. The data were analysed using the qualitative data analysis software ATLAS.ti Scientific Software Development GmbH, Berlin. A content analysis was carried out. In total, 23 competencies were identified and clustered under the categories of theoretical knowledge, practical skills, and personal attitudes and values. In order to promote mental health, it is necessary to have a knowledge of the principles and concepts of mental health promotion, including methods and tools for effective practices. Furthermore, a variety of skills-based competencies such as communication and collaboration skills were described. Personal attitudes and values included a holistic approach and respect for human rights, among others. The study provides new information on what competencies are needed to plan, implement and evaluate mental health promotion in health sector practice, with the aim of contributing to a more effective workforce. The competencies provide aid in planning training programmes and qualifications, as well as job descriptions and roles in health sector workplaces related to mental health promotion.

Exploring experiences of and attitudes towards mental illness and disclosure amongst health care professionals: a qualitative study.

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Waugh, William; Lethem, Claudia; Sherring, Simon; Henderson, Claire

2017-10-01

The literature suggests that many health professionals hold stigmatising attitudes towards those with mental illness and that this impacts on patient care. Little attention has been given to how these attitudes affect colleagues with a mental illness. Current research demonstrates that stigma and discrimination are common in the UK workplace and impact on one's decision to disclose mental illness. This study aims to explore health professionals' experiences of and attitudes towards mental illness and disclosure in the workplace. This qualitative study involved semi-structured interviews with 24 health professionals employed by an NHS (National Health Service) trust. 13 of these worked in mental health, and 11 in other health fields. Interviews were transcribed and thematic analysis was used to identify themes. Five key themes were identified from the data: personal experiences and their effect in changing attitudes; perceived stigmatising views of mental illness in other staff members; hypothetical disclosure: factors affecting one's decision; attitudes towards disclosure; support in the workplace after disclosure; and, applying only to those working outside of the mental health field, mental illness is not talked about. The results indicated that participants had a great deal of experience with colleagues with a mental illness and that support in the workplace for such illnesses is variable. Attitudes of participating health professionals towards colleagues with a mental illness appeared to be positive, however, they did report that other colleagues held negative attitudes. Deciding to disclose a mental illness was a carefully thought out decision with a number of advantages and disadvantages noted. In particular, it was found that health professionals' fear stigma and discrimination from colleagues and that this would dissuade participants from disclosing a mental illness. In many respects, this research supports the findings in other workplaces. Such findings

Bridging the digital disconnect: Exploring the views of professionals on using technology to promote young people's mental health.

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Clarke, Aleisha M; Chambers, Derek; Barry, Margaret M

2017-08-01

The increasing role of online technologies in young people's lives has significant implications for professionals' engagement with technologies to promote youth mental health and well-being. However, relatively little is known about professionals' views on the role of technologies in supporting youth mental health. This article outlines key findings from a needs assessment survey carried out in Ireland that sought to determine the views of professionals working with young people on the use of online technologies in supporting young people's mental health and well-being. A total of 900 professionals from across the education, health, and mental health professions completed an online survey. The findings demonstrate the importance of the internet as a resource for professionals working with young people, with over 98% of those surveyed expressing a readiness to use online resources to support young people's mental health. The nature of preferred online technologies differed according to professional groupings, however, 63% of overall respondents indicated they would look for help on a dedicated mental health website. Guidelines on working with young people and their parents on the promotion of positive mental were requested with the most frequency. Among the barriers identified were concerns about access to reliable information that was relevant to specific professional roles, and the need for organizational support of professionals' use of online evidence-based resources. Concerns were also expressed that online resources could replace face-to-face support services for young people, and the need for training professionals in their appropriate use. The results highlight the potential role of technology in assisting professionals through the provision of online training, reliable information, and practical resources on the promotion of positive youth mental health.

Violence Prevention after Columbine: A Survey of High School Mental Health Professionals

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Crepeau-Hobson, M. Franci; Filaccio, Marylynne; Gottfried, Linda

2005-01-01

The authors examined changes in mental health services and violence prevention strategies in public high schools since the shootings at Columbine High School. Surveys were mailed to school mental health professionals at public high schools in Colorado. Respondents included school counselors, school psychologists, school social workers, principals,…

Inter-rater reliability of the Greek version of CAARMS among two groups of mental health professionals.

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Kollias, C; Kontaxakis, V; Havaki-Kontaxaki, B; Simmons, M B; Stefanis, N; Papageorgiou, C

2015-01-01

There is increasing interest within the Greek psychiatric community in the early detection and prevention of psychotic disorders. To support this, there is a need for a valid and reliable tool to identify young people that may be at risk of developing a psychotic disorder. Our team has previously translated the Comprehensive Assessment of At-Risk Mental States (CAARMS). The validity of the CAARMS was ensured by the procedure of translation and the aim of the current study was to estimate the interrater reliability of the CAARMS Greek translation among residents in psychiatry and specialized mental health professionals. 43 mental health workers (27 residents in psychiatry and 16 specialized mental health professionals (i.e. 11 psychiatrists and 5 psychologist) participated in two seminars that covered theoretical information about the ultra high risk concept and training in the CAARMS. During the seminars, 10 vignettes with psychiatric history cases were presented, including healthy, ultra high risk and first episode psychosis. The mean correlated percentage of agreement with the correct answers regarding diagnosis of the presented history cases among all our subjects was 81.42, among specialized mental health professionals 77.88, and among residents 84.46. Intraclass correlation co-efficients were 0.994 for specialized mental health professionals and 0.997 for residents. The translated Greek version of CAARMS presents a satisfying interrater reliability when used by both residents and specialized mental health professionals. Residents declare even higher intraclass correlation co-efficients and mean correlated percentage of agreement than specialized mental health professionals, which indicate that residents are capable of using the CAARMS in early intervention units.

Merely a stepping stone? Professional identity and career prospects following postgraduate mental health nurse training.

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McCrae, N; Askey-Jones, S; Laker, C

2014-01-01

Accelerated mental health nurse training attracts talented graduates, many with a psychology degree. Our study shows that such trainees feel incompatible with the nursing culture. Consequently, professional identification is inhibited, and on qualifying these nurses may choose to develop their careers elsewhere. Nurse educators and mentors should pay greater attention to nurturing a positive professional identity in trainees. Alongside their attainment of knowledge and skills, nursing trainees are moulded by a professional culture and inculcated to norms of beliefs and behaviour. The process of professional identification may be inhibited by accelerated nurse training and an influx of psychology graduates potentially using mental health nursing qualification as a springboard to other career opportunities. This study explored facilitators and barriers to professional identification in newly qualified nurses of accelerated postgraduate training. Qualitative interviews were conducted with 10 nurses who had recently completed a postgraduate diploma in mental health nursing at King's College London. Participants identified more with the mental health field than with the broader profession of nursing. They defined their practice in terms of values rather than skills and found difficulty in articulating a distinct role for mental health nursing. Although participants had found experience in training and as a registered practitioner rewarding, they were concerned that nursing may not fulfil their aspirations. Professional identity is likely to be a major factor in satisfaction and retention of nurses. Training and continuing professional development should promote career advancement within clinical nursing practice. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

[Awareness and attitude toward suicide in community mental health professionals and hospital workers].

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Kim, Soung Nam; Lee, Kang Sook; Lee, Seon Young; Yu, Jae Hee; Hong, A Rum

2009-05-01

The purpose of this study was to evaluate community mental health professionals and hospital workers attitude and awareness towards suicide. This study investigated 264 community mental health professionals and 228 hospital workers. SOQs (Suicidal Opinion Questionnaires) were used from July 2007 to September 2007. After a factor analysis for the attitude towards suicide, the items on ethics, mental illness, religion, risk, and motivation were included in the subsequent analysis. There were significant differences in the attitude towards suicide according to religion, age, educational background, the marriage status, the economic position, and different professional licenses. Hospital workers' view was different from the community workers'. The hospital workers judged that suicide was due to mental illness, and suicide was high for the people in a special environment and who lacked motivation, which caused them to fall in a dangerous situation. For the lower educational group, they thought that suicide was attributable to mental illness. The awareness for suicide was significantly higher in the group with a postgraduate education, unmarried people, mental health professionals and the persons who had concern and experience with suicide. The factors that had an influence on the awareness of suicide were the items of mental illness, religion, risk and motivational factors. This study suggested that the factors to increase the awareness and attitude for suicide were the experience of increased education and case management of suicide. Therefore, education dealing with suicide and reinforcement of crisis management programs should be developed.

Is mindfulness associated with stress and burnout among mental health professionals in Singapore?

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Yang, Suyi; Meredith, Pamela; Khan, Asaduzzaman

2017-07-01

High levels of stress and burnout have been reported among mental health professionals worldwide, including Singapore, with concerning potential implications for the quality of patient care. Mindfulness has been associated with decreased stress and burnout; however, associations between mindfulness, stress, and burnout have not been examined in Singapore. The aim of this study was to investigate whether mindfulness is associated with stress and burnout among healthcare professionals working in a mental health setting in Singapore. A total of 224 Singaporean mental health professionals completed a cross-sectional survey which included measures of: mindfulness (observe, describe, act with awareness, non-judge, and non-react), stress, and burnout (exhaustion and disengagement). Using multiple regression, significant negative associations were found between each of the mindfulness facets and: stress, exhaustion, and disengagement, while controlling for years of experience. Of the five mindfulness facets, act with awareness demonstrated the strongest negative association with all three variables. This study showed that mental health professionals in Singapore who have higher levels of mindfulness also have lower levels stress and burnout (disengagement and exhaustion). Future longitudinal research is warranted to better understand the directionality of these associations, with implications for the development of interventions aimed to reduce stress and burnout within this population.

Group Interventions to Promote Mental Health in Health Professional Education: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomised Controlled Trials

Science.gov (United States)

Lo, Kristin; Waterland, Jamie; Todd, Paula; Gupta, Tanvi; Bearman, Margaret; Hassed, Craig; Keating, Jennifer L.

2018-01-01

Effects of interventions for improving mental health of health professional students has not been established. This review analysed interventions to support mental health of health professional students and their effects. The full holdings of Medline, PsycINFO, EBM Reviews, Cinahl Plus, ERIC and EMBASE were searched until 15th April 2016.…

Caring for clients with dual diagnosis in rural communities in Australia: the experience of mental health professionals.

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Deans, C; Soar, R

2005-06-01

This paper identifies and describes the experiences of 13 rural mental health professionals who care for clients diagnosed with a mental illness and a coexisting alcohol and other drug disorder (dual diagnosis). Dual diagnosis is a common problem which is often poorly understood and managed by mental health professionals. The effect of excessive substance use on a person's mental well-being can present as a diagnostic challenge as each condition may mask symptoms of the other. The authors utilized a phenomenological approach to discover the experiences of a group of mental health professionals working in rural communities in Victoria, Australia. Caring for clients diagnosed with dual diagnosis was found to be a complex and stressful role that involved high levels of skill and knowledge. Despite the fact that health professionals in rural areas are expected to deliver the most appropriate care to individuals with a dual diagnosis, a number of these rural health professionals have limited preparation and experience in dealing with arising clinical diagnosis issues. Clinicians experience frustration, resentment and powerlessness in their attempt to understand their clients' drug misuse whilst simultaneously endeavouring to provide a quality mental health service.

[Supply and demand in the meetings between mental health professionals and family members of people with mental disorders].

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Constantinidis, Teresinha Cid; de Andrade, Angela Nobre

2015-02-01

This paper is a development of a doctoral thesis presented at the Federal University of Espírito Santo. It seeks to analyze the elucidation of needs, development of supply and demand in the provision of care and the relationship between mental health professionals and family members of people with mental disorders. A qualitative research approach was used as the method of choice to achieve the proposed objectives. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with mental health professionals from two psychosocial care centers (CAPS) in the city of Vitória, Espírito Santo, and with family members of frequenters of these institutions. After thematic analysis of content, senses, meanings and values assigned to the needs, supplies and demands present in this relationship were revealed. It highlighted the disparity between supply and demand and the lack of awareness of the needs of family members and their demands related to the routines of mental institutions. Using ethics in the philosophy of Spinoza as a benchmark, the ramifications of this process are discussed in the meetings between mental health professionals and family members of people with mental disorders and the micropolitics of the provision of care in the context of these actors.

Symptoms of Common Mental Disorders and Adverse Health Behaviours in Male Professional Soccer Players

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gouttebarge Vincent

2015-12-01

Full Text Available To present time, scientific knowledge about symptoms of common mental disorders and adverse health behaviours among professional soccer players is lacking. Consequently, the aim of the study was to determine the prevalence of symptoms of common mental disorders (distress, anxiety/depression, sleep disturbance and adverse health behaviours (adverse alcohol behaviour, smoking, adverse nutrition behaviour among professional soccer players, and to explore their associations with potential stressors (severe injury, surgery, life events and career dissatisfaction. Cross-sectional analyses were conducted on baseline questionnaires from an ongoing prospective cohort study among male professional players. Using validated questionnaires to assess symptoms of common mental disorders and adverse health behaviours as well as stressors, an electronic questionnaire was set up and distributed by players’ unions in 11 countries from three continents. Prevalence of symptoms of common mental disorders and adverse health behaviours among professional soccer players ranged from 4% for smoking and 9% for adverse alcohol behaviour to 38% for anxiety/depression and 58% for adverse nutrition behaviour. Significant associations were found for a higher number of severe injuries with distress, anxiety/depression, sleeping disturbance and adverse alcohol behaviour, an increased number of life events with distress, sleeping disturbance, adverse alcohol behaviour and smoking, as well as an elevated level of career dissatisfaction with distress, anxiety/depression and adverse nutrition behaviour. Statistically significant correlations (p<0.01 were found for severe injuries and career dissatisfaction with most symptoms of common mental disorders. High prevalence of symptoms of common mental disorders and adverse health behaviours was found among professional players, confirming a previous pilot-study in a similar study population.

Stress and burnout among healthcare professionals working in a mental health setting in Singapore.

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Suyi; Meredith, Pamela; Khan, Asaduzzaman

2015-06-01

International literature suggests that the experience of high levels of stress by healthcare professionals has been associated with decreased work efficiency and high rates of staff turnover. The aims of this study are to identify the extent of stress and burnout experienced by healthcare professionals working in a mental health setting in Singapore and to identify demographic characteristics and work situations associated with this stress and burnout. A total of 220 Singaporean mental health professionals completed a cross-sectional survey, which included measures of stress, burnout (exhaustion and disengagement), participants' demographic details, and working situation. Independent t-tests and one-way ANOVAs were used to examine between-group differences in the dependent variables (stress and burnout). Analyses revealed that healthcare professionals below the age of 25, those with less than five years experience, and those with the lowest annual income, reported the highest levels of stress and burnout. No significant differences were found with other demographic or work situation variables. Findings suggest that healthcare professionals working in a mental health setting in Singapore are experiencing relatively high levels of stress and burnout. It is important that clinicians, administrators and policy makers take proactive steps to develop programs aimed at reducing stress and burnout for healthcare professionals. These programs are likely to also increase the well-being and resilience of healthcare professionals and improve the quality of mental health services in Singapore. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Divorce, divorce rates, and professional care seeking for mental health problems in Europe: a cross-sectional population-based study.

Science.gov (United States)

Bracke, Piet F; Colman, Elien; Symoens, Sara A A; Van Praag, Lore

2010-04-29

Little is known about differences in professional care seeking based on marital status. The few existing studies show more professional care seeking among the divorced or separated compared to the married or cohabiting. The aim of this study is to determine whether, in a sample of the European general population, the divorced or separated seek more professional mental health care than the married or cohabiting, regardless of self-reported mental health problems. Furthermore, we examine whether two country-level features--the supply of mental health professionals and the country-level divorce rates--contribute to marital status differences in professional care-seeking behavior. We use data from the Eurobarometer 248 on mental well-being that was collected via telephone interviews. The unweighted sample includes 27,146 respondents (11,728 men and 15,418 women). Poisson hierarchical regression models were estimated to examine whether the divorced or separated have higher professional health care use for emotional or psychological problems, after controlling for mental and somatic health, sociodemographic characteristics, support from family and friends, and degree of urbanization. We also considered country-level divorce rates and indicators of the supply of mental health professionals, and applied design and population weights. We find that professional care seeking is strongly need based. Moreover, the divorced or separated consult health professionals for mental health problems more often than people who are married or who cohabit do. In addition, we find that the gap between the divorced or separated and the married or cohabiting is highest in countries with low divorce rates. The higher rates of professional care seeking for mental health problems among the divorced or separated only partially correlates with their more severe mental health problems. In countries where marital dissolution is more common, the marital status gap in professional care seeking is

Divorce, divorce rates, and professional care seeking for mental health problems in Europe: a cross-sectional population-based study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Symoens Sara AA

2010-04-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Little is known about differences in professional care seeking based on marital status. The few existing studies show more professional care seeking among the divorced or separated compared to the married or cohabiting. The aim of this study is to determine whether, in a sample of the European general population, the divorced or separated seek more professional mental health care than the married or cohabiting, regardless of self-reported mental health problems. Furthermore, we examine whether two country-level features--the supply of mental health professionals and the country-level divorce rates--contribute to marital status differences in professional care-seeking behavior. Methods We use data from the Eurobarometer 248 on mental well-being that was collected via telephone interviews. The unweighted sample includes 27,146 respondents (11,728 men and 15,418 women. Poisson hierarchical regression models were estimated to examine whether the divorced or separated have higher professional health care use for emotional or psychological problems, after controlling for mental and somatic health, sociodemographic characteristics, support from family and friends, and degree of urbanization. We also considered country-level divorce rates and indicators of the supply of mental health professionals, and applied design and population weights. Results We find that professional care seeking is strongly need based. Moreover, the divorced or separated consult health professionals for mental health problems more often than people who are married or who cohabit do. In addition, we find that the gap between the divorced or separated and the married or cohabiting is highest in countries with low divorce rates. Conclusions The higher rates of professional care seeking for mental health problems among the divorced or separated only partially correlates with their more severe mental health problems. In countries where marital dissolution is more

Positive mental health among health professionals working at a psychiatric hospital.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Louisa Picco

Full Text Available Positive mental health (PMH is a combination of emotional, psychological and social well-being that is necessary for an individual to be mentally healthy. The current study aims to examine the socio-demographic differences of PMH among mental health professionals and to explore the association between job satisfaction and total PMH.Doctors, nurses and allied health staff (n = 462 completed the online survey which included the multidimensional 47-item PMH instrument as well as a single item job satisfaction question. Associations of PMH with job satisfaction were investigated via linear regression models.Significant differences in PMH total and domain specific scores were observed across socio-demographic characteristics. Age and ethnicity were significantly correlated with PMH total scores as well as various domain scores, while gender, marital and residency status and the staff's position were only significantly correlated with domain specific scores. Job satisfaction was also found to be a significantly associated with total PMH.The workplace is a key environment that affects the mental health and well-being of working adults. In order to promote and foster PMH, workplaces need to consider the importance of psychosocial well-being and the wellness of staff whilst providing an environment that supports and maintains overall health and work efficiency.

Further examination of predictors of turnover intention among mental health professionals.

Science.gov (United States)

Yanchus, N J; Periard, D; Osatuke, K

2017-02-01

WHAT IS KNOWN ON THE SUBJECT?: When mental health professionals leave organizations, detrimental effects on quality of patient care occur. Reasons for leaving include incivility, lack of autonomy, perceptions of unfair treatment and feeling psychologically unsafe at work. This paper sought to investigate additional reasons why mental health professionals intend to quit or to cognitively withdraw from their jobs. WHAT DOES THIS PAPER ADD TO EXISTING KNOWLEDGE?: Past research on this topic is limited in its scope and data. Mainly fragmented evidence is available about predictors of job satisfaction and turnover intention (i.e. different mental health occupations examined in separate studies). Only two existing studies that examined broader mental health provider groups were limited by including few workforce settings, small sample sizes and insufficiently rigorous statistical analyses. We examined four occupations (mental health nurses, social workers, psychologists and psychiatrists), each represented through a large sample in multiple settings, all within one large healthcare network with complex patients. Our contribution is finding additional predictors (supervisory support, emotional exhaustion) of job satisfaction/turnover intention. WHAT ARE THE IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE?: Organizations can consider using culture change initiatives to increase civility at work; this includes leadership support and role modelling of workplace behaviours. Leaders should monitor staffing levels and high workloads to pre-empt emotional exhaustion, which predicts turnover. Hiring and training supervisors should involve not only technical expertise, but also 'soft skills' necessary for creating civil and supportive work environments. Leaders and managers should use employee feedback data (e.g. organizational surveys) to learn about the workplace environments, and address areas of employees' concern. Introduction Given the global shortage of mental health professionals, high turnover

Community and school mental health professionals' knowledge and use of evidence based substance use prevention programs.

Science.gov (United States)

Evans, Steven W; Randy Koch, J; Brady, Christine; Meszaros, Peggy; Sadler, Joanna

2013-07-01

Youth with learning and behavioral problems are at elevated risk for substance use during adolescence. Although evidence-based substance use prevention and screening practices are described in the literature, the extent with which these are provided to these youth is unclear. Mental health professionals in schools and community mental health centers are in an ideal position to conduct substance use screening and prevention practices since they have frequent contact with this high risk group. In order to determine whether these mental health professionals were using evidence based substance use screening and prevention programs with these youth, we analyzed 345 completed surveys from mental health professionals in schools and community clinics throughout a mid-Atlantic state. Results indicated that a large portion of the respondents were unfamiliar with evidence based practices and they were infrequently used. Implications for the division of labor at schools and community mental health centers are discussed in relation to time allotment and priority for these procedures.

Curanderos and Mental Health Professionals: A Comparative Study on Perceptions of Psychopathology.

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Arenas, Silverio; And Others

1980-01-01

Compared to mental health professionals, curanderos were more reluctant to label psychiatric or folk-medical disorders in hypothetical case histories as "mental illness." They perceived people as less seriously ill and less dangerous to others or to themselves. Curanderos perceived the disorders, their causes, and appropriate treatments…

Mental Health Mobile Apps: From Infusion to Diffusion in the Mental Health Social System.

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East, Marlene Lynette; Havard, Byron C

2015-01-01

The roles of mental health educators and professionals in the diffusion of mental health mobile apps are addressed in this viewpoint article. Mental health mobile apps are emerging technologies that fit under the broad heading of mobile health (mHealth). mHealth, encompassed within electronic health (eHealth), reflects the use of mobile devices for the practice of public health. Well-designed mental health mobile apps that present content in interactive, engaging, and stimulating ways can promote cognitive learning, personal growth, and mental health enhancement. As key influencers in the mental health social system, counselor educators and professional associations may either help or hinder diffusion of beneficial mHealth technologies. As mental health mobile apps move towards ubiquity, research will continue to be conducted. The studies published thus far, combined with the potential of mental health mobile apps for learning and personal growth, offer enough evidence to compel mental health professionals to infuse these technologies into education and practice. Counselor educators and professional associations must use their influential leadership roles to train students and practitioners in how to research, evaluate, and integrate mental health mobile apps into practice. The objectives of this article are to (1) increase awareness of mHealth and mental health mobile apps, (2) demonstrate the potential for continued growth in mental health mobile apps based on technology use and acceptance theory, mHealth organizational initiatives, and evidence about how humans learn, (3) discuss evidence-based benefits of mental health mobile apps, (4) examine the current state of mHealth diffusion in the mental health profession, and (5) offer solutions for impelling innovation diffusion by infusing mental health mobile apps into education, training, and clinical settings. This discussion has implications for counselor educators, mental health practitioners, associations

The Mental Vitality @ Work study: design of a randomized controlled trial on the effect of a workers' health surveillance mental module for nurses and allied health professionals.

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Gärtner, Fania R; Ketelaar, Sarah M; Smeets, Odile; Bolier, Linda; Fischer, Eva; van Dijk, Frank J H; Nieuwenhuijsen, Karen; Sluiter, Judith K

2011-05-10

Employees in health care service are at high risk for developing mental health complaints. The effects of mental health complaints on work can have serious consequences for the quality of care provided by these workers. To help health service workers remain healthy and productive, preventive actions are necessary. A Workers' Health Surveillance (WHS) mental module may be an effective strategy to monitor and promote good (mental) health and work performance. The objective of this paper is to describe the design of a three arm cluster randomized controlled trial on the effectiveness of a WHS mental module for nurses and allied health professionals. Two strategies for this WHS mental module will be compared along with data from a control group. Additionally, the cost effectiveness of the approaches will be evaluated from a societal perspective. The study is designed as a cluster randomized controlled trial consisting of three arms (two intervention groups, 1 control group) with randomization at ward level. The study population consists of 86 departments in one Dutch academic medical center with a total of 1731 nurses and allied health professionals. At baseline, after three months and after six months of follow-up, outcomes will be assessed by online questionnaires. In both intervention arms, participants will complete a screening to detect problems in mental health and work functioning and receive feedback on their screening results. In cases of impairments in mental health or work functioning in the first intervention arm, a consultation with an occupational physician will be offered. The second intervention arm offers a choice of self-help e-mental health interventions, which will be tailored based on each individual's mental health state and work functioning. The primary outcomes will be help-seeking behavior and work functioning. Secondary outcomes will be mental health and wellbeing. Furthermore, cost-effectiveness in both intervention arms will be assessed, and

The Mental Vitality @ Work study: design of a randomized controlled trial on the effect of a workers' health surveillance mental module for nurses and allied health professionals

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

van Dijk Frank JH

2011-05-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Employees in health care service are at high risk for developing mental health complaints. The effects of mental health complaints on work can have serious consequences for the quality of care provided by these workers. To help health service workers remain healthy and productive, preventive actions are necessary. A Workers' Health Surveillance (WHS mental module may be an effective strategy to monitor and promote good (mental health and work performance. The objective of this paper is to describe the design of a three arm cluster randomized controlled trial on the effectiveness of a WHS mental module for nurses and allied health professionals. Two strategies for this WHS mental module will be compared along with data from a control group. Additionally, the cost effectiveness of the approaches will be evaluated from a societal perspective. Methods The study is designed as a cluster randomized controlled trial consisting of three arms (two intervention groups, 1 control group with randomization at ward level. The study population consists of 86 departments in one Dutch academic medical center with a total of 1731 nurses and allied health professionals. At baseline, after three months and after six months of follow-up, outcomes will be assessed by online questionnaires. In both intervention arms, participants will complete a screening to detect problems in mental health and work functioning and receive feedback on their screening results. In cases of impairments in mental health or work functioning in the first intervention arm, a consultation with an occupational physician will be offered. The second intervention arm offers a choice of self-help e-mental health interventions, which will be tailored based on each individual's mental health state and work functioning. The primary outcomes will be help-seeking behavior and work functioning. Secondary outcomes will be mental health and wellbeing. Furthermore, cost-effectiveness in

A Review of Contemporary Ethical Decision-Making Models for Mental Health Professionals

Science.gov (United States)

Francis, Perry C.

2015-01-01

Mental health professionals are faced with increasingly complex ethical decisions that are impacted by culture, personal and professional values, and the contexts in which they and their clients inhabit. This article presents the reasons for developing and implementing multiple ethical decision making models and reviews four models that address…

Essential learning tools for continuing medical education for physicians, geneticists, nurses, allied health professionals, mental health professionals, business administration professionals, and reproductive endocrinology and infertility (REI) fellows: the Midwest Reproductive Symposium International.

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Collins, Gretchen G; Jeelani, Roohi; Beltsos, Angeline; Kearns, William G

2018-04-01

Essential learning tools for continuing medical education are a challenge in today's rapidly evolving field of reproductive medicine. The Midwest Reproductive Symposium International (MRSi) is a yearly conference held in Chicago, IL. The conference is targeted toward physicians, geneticists, nurses, allied health professionals, mental health professionals, business administration professionals, and reproductive endocrinology and infertility (REI) fellows engaged in the practice of reproductive medicine. In addition to the scientific conference agenda, there are specific sessions for nurses, mental health professionals, and REI fellows. Unique to the MRSi conference, there is also a separate "Business Minds" session to provide education on business acumen as it is an important element to running a department, division, or private clinic.

Exploring an increased role for Australian community pharmacy in mental health professional service delivery: evaluation of the literature.

Science.gov (United States)

Hattingh, H Laetitia; Scahill, Shane; Fowler, Jane L; Wheeler, Amanda J

2016-12-01

Australian general practitioners primarily treat mental health problems by prescribing medication dispensed by community pharmacists. Pharmacists therefore have regular interactions with mental health consumers and carers. This narrative review explored the potential role of community pharmacy in mental health services. Medline, CINAHL, ProQuest, Emerald, PsycINFO, Science Direct, PubMed, Web of Knowledge and IPA were utilised. The Cochrane Library as well as grey literature and "lay" search engines such as GoogleScholar were also searched. Four systematic reviews and ten community pharmacy randomised controlled trials were identified. Various relevant reviews outlining the impact of community pharmacy based disease state or medicines management services were also identified. International studies involving professional service interventions for mental health consumers could be contextualised for the Australian setting. Australian studies of pharmacy professional services for chronic physical health conditions provided further guidance for the expansion of community pharmacy mental health professional services.

The Role of School Counselors in Meeting Students' Mental Health Needs: Examining Issues of Professional Identity

Science.gov (United States)

DeKruyf, Lorraine; Auger, Richard W.; Trice-Black, Shannon

2013-01-01

The professional identity of school counselors has evolved over time. This article traces the historical context driving this evolution, and suggests it is time for the profession to conjoin the roles of educational leader and mental health professional. This proposal is prompted by heightened awareness of unmet student mental health needs,…

THE CHALLENGES OF SCHOOL-BASED YOUTH SUICIDE PREVENTION: EXPERIENCES AND PERCEPTIONS OF MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONALS IN SOUTH AFRICAN SCHOOLS.

Science.gov (United States)

Woolf, Maryke; Bantjes, Jason; Kagee, Ashraf

2015-01-01

Youth suicidal behaviour poses a significant public health concern. Mental health care professionals working in schools have an important role to play in youth suicide prevention initiatives, although little is known of the experiences of this group of professionals in the developing world. The aim of this study was to explore the experiences of mental health professionals working in South African schools and document their insights, attitudes and beliefs regarding youth suicidal behaviour. In-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted with seven school-based mental health care professionals and data were analysed using Thematic Analysis. Participants reported that they relied on a reactive strategy by responding to youths who were in crisis. They were challenged by a lack of support from faculty staff, lack of access to resources, and heavy caseloads. Findings highlight the need for a proactive and collaborative approach to suicide prevention among mental health care professionals, teachers and parents in South African schools and improved training and supervision.

Influence of Child Factors on Health-Care Professionals' Recognition of Common Childhood Mental-Health Problems.

Science.gov (United States)

Burke, Delia A; Koot, Hans M; de Wilde, Amber; Begeer, Sander

Early recognition of childhood mental-health problems can help minimise long-term negative outcomes. Recognition of mental-health problems, needed for referral and diagnostic evaluation, is largely dependent on health-care professionals' (HCPs) judgement of symptoms presented by the child. This study aimed to establish whether HCPs recognition of mental-health problems varies as a function of three child-related factors (type of problem, number of symptoms, and demographic characteristics). In an online survey, HCPs ( n  = 431) evaluated a series of vignettes describing children with symptoms of mental-health problems. Vignettes varied by problem type (Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Generalised Anxiety Disorder (GAD), Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), Conduct Disorder (CD) and Major Depressive Disorder), number of symptoms presented (few and many), and child demographic characteristics (ethnicity, gender, age and socio-economic status (SES)). Results show that recognition of mental-health problems varies by problem type, with ADHD best recognised and GAD worst. Furthermore, recognition varies by the number of symptoms presented. Unexpectedly, a child's gender, ethnicity and family SES did not influence likelihood of problem recognition. These results are the first to reveal differences in HCPs' recognition of various common childhood mental-health problems. HCPs in practice should be advised about poor recognition of GAD, and superior recognition of ADHD, if recognition of all childhood mental-health problems is to be equal.

Preparing mental health professionals for new directions in mental health practice: Evaluating the sensory approaches e-learning training package.

Science.gov (United States)

Meredith, Pamela; Yeates, Harriet; Greaves, Amanda; Taylor, Michelle; Slattery, Maddy; Charters, Michelle; Hill, Melissa

2018-02-01

The application of sensory modulation approaches in mental health settings is growing in recognition internationally. However, a number of barriers have been identified as limiting the implementation of the approach, including workplace culture and a lack of accessible and effective sensory approaches training. The aim of this project was to investigate the efficacy of providing this training through a custom-designed e-learning package. Participants in the present study were predominately nurses and occupational therapists working in mental health settings in Queensland, Australia. Data were collected from 121 participants using an online survey. Significant improvements were found between pre- and post-training in participants' real and perceived levels of knowledge, their perceived levels of confidence, and their attitudes towards using sensory modulation approaches in mental health settings. The findings of the study suggest that the custom-designed sensory approaches e-learning package is an effective, accessible, acceptable, and usable method to train health professionals in sensory modulation approaches. As this study is the first to analyse the efficacy of an e-learning sensory approaches package, the results are considered preliminary, and further investigation is required. © 2017 Australian College of Mental Health Nurses Inc.

Recruiting and retaining mental health professionals to rural communities: an interdisciplinary course in Appalachia.

Science.gov (United States)

Meyer, Deborah; Hamel-Lambert, Jane; Tice, Carolyn; Safran, Steven; Bolon, Douglas; Rose-Grippa, Kathleen

2005-01-01

Faculty from 5 disciplines (health administration, nursing, psychology, social work, and special education) collaborated to develop and teach a distance-learning course designed to encourage undergraduate and graduate students to seek mental health services employment in rural areas and to provide the skills, experience, and knowledge necessary for successful rural practice. The primary objectives of the course, developed after thorough review of the rural retention and recruitment literature, were to (1) enhance interdisciplinary team skills, (2) employ technology as a tool for mental health practitioners, and (3) enhance student understanding of Appalachian culture and rural mental health. Didactic instruction emphasized Appalachian culture, rural mental health, teamwork and communication, professional ethics, and technology. Students were introduced to videoconferencing, asynchronous and synchronous communication, and Internet search tools. Working in teams of 3 or 4, students grappled with professional and cultural issues plus team process as they worked through a hypothetical case of a sexually abused youngster. The course required participants to engage in a nontraditional manner by immersing students in Web-based teams. Student evaluations suggested that teaching facts or "content" about rural mental health and Appalachian culture was much easier than the "process" of using new technologies or working in teams. Given that the delivery of mental health care demands collaboration and teamwork and that rural practice relies increasingly more on the use of technology, our experience suggests that more team-based, technology-driven courses are needed to better prepare students for clinical practice.

Mental health training programmes for non-mental health trained professionals coming into contact with people with mental ill health: a systematic review of effectiveness.

Science.gov (United States)

Booth, Alison; Scantlebury, Arabella; Hughes-Morley, Adwoa; Mitchell, Natasha; Wright, Kath; Scott, William; McDaid, Catriona

2017-05-25

The police and others in occupations where they come into close contact with people experiencing/with mental ill health, often have to manage difficult and complex situations. Training is needed to equip them to recognise and assist when someone has a mental health issue or learning/intellectual disability. We undertook a systematic review of the effectiveness of training programmes aimed at increasing knowledge, changing behaviour and/or attitudes of the trainees with regard to mental ill health, mental vulnerability, and learning disabilities. Databases searched from 1995 onwards included: ASSIA, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Clinical Trials (CENTRAL), Criminal Justice Abstracts, Embase, ERIC, MEDLINE, PsycINFO, Social Science Citation Index. Courses, training, or learning packages aimed at helping police officers and others who interact with the public in a similar way to deal with people with mental health problems were included. Primary outcomes were change in practice and change in outcomes for the groups of people the trainees come into contact with. Systematic reviews, randomised controlled trials (RCTs) and non- randomised controlled trials (non-RCTs) were included and quality assessed. In addition non-comparative evaluations of training for police in England were included. From 8578 search results, 19 studies met the inclusion criteria: one systematic review, 12 RCTs, three prospective non-RCTs, and three non-comparative studies. The training interventions identified included broad mental health awareness training and packages addressing a variety of specific mental health issues or conditions. Trainees included police officers, teachers and other public sector workers. Some short term positive changes in behaviour were identified for trainees, but for the people the trainees came into contact with there was little or no evidence of benefit. A variety of training programmes exist for non-mental health professionals who come into contact with

A multi-institutional study exploring the impact of positive mental health on medical students' professionalism in an era of high burnout.

Science.gov (United States)

Dyrbye, Liselotte N; Harper, William; Moutier, Christine; Durning, Steven J; Power, David V; Massie, F Stanford; Eacker, Anne; Thomas, Matthew R; Satele, Daniel; Sloan, Jeff A; Shanafelt, Tait D

2012-08-01

Although burnout is associated with erosion of professionalism and serious personal consequences, whether positive mental health can enhance professionalism and how it shapes personal experience remain poorly understood. The study simultaneously explores the relationship between positive mental health and burnout with professionalism and personal experience. The authors surveyed 4,400 medical students at seven U.S. medical schools in 2009 to assess mental health (categorized as languishing, moderate, and flourishing) and burnout. Additional items explored professional behaviors, beliefs, suicidal ideation, and serious thoughts of dropping out. A total of 2,682/4,400 (61%) responded. Prevalence of suicidal ideation (55/114 [48.2%], 281/1,128 [24.9%], and 127/1,409 [9.1%]) and serious thoughts of dropping out (15/114 [13.2%], 30/1,128 [2.7%], and 14/1,409 [1.0%]) decreased as mental health improved from languishing, moderate, and flourishing, respectively (all P mental health persisted independent of burnout (all P mental health improved, the prevalence of unprofessional behaviors (i.e., cheating and dishonest behaviors) also declined, whereas students' altruistic beliefs regarding physicians' responsibility toward society improved. For example, 33/113 (29.2%), 426/1,120 (38.0%), and 718/1,391 (51.6%) of students with languishing, moderate, and flourishing mental health endorsed all five altruistic professional beliefs (P mental health persisted among students with burnout, whereas fewer relationships were found among students without burnout. Findings suggest that positive mental health attenuates some adverse consequences of burnout. Medical student wellness programs should aspire to prevent burnout and promote mental health.

Human rights and mental health in post-apartheid South Africa: lessons from health care professionals working with suicidal inmates in the prison system.

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Bantjes, Jason; Swartz, Leslie; Niewoudt, Pieter

2017-10-12

During the era of apartheid in South Africa, a number of mental health professionals were vocal about the need for socio-economic and political reform. They described the deleterious psychological and social impact of the oppressive and discriminatory Nationalist state policies. However, they remained optimistic that democracy would usher in positive changes. In this article, we consider how mental health professionals working in post-apartheid South Africa experience their work. Our aim was to describe the experience of mental health professionals working in prisons who provide care to suicidal prisoners. Data were collected from in-depth semi-structured interviews and were analyzed using thematic content analysis. Findings draw attention to the challenges mental health professionals in post-apartheid South Africa face when attempting to provide psychological care in settings where resources are scarce and where the environment is anti-therapeutic. Findings highlight the significant gap between current policies, which protect prisoners' human rights, and every-day practices within prisons. The findings imply that there is still an urgent need for activism in South Africa, particularly in the context of providing mental health care services in settings which are anti-therapeutic and inadequately resourced, such as prisons.

Exploring the potential for joint training between legal professionals in the criminal justice system and health and social care professionals in the mental-health services.

Science.gov (United States)

Hean, Sarah; Heaslip, Vanessa; Warr, Jerry; Staddon, Sue

2011-05-01

Effective screening of mentally-ill defendants in the criminal court system requires cooperation between legal professionals in the criminal justice system (CJS), and health and social care workers in the mental-health service (MHS). This interagency working, though, can be problematic, as recognized in the Bradley inquiry that recommended joint training for MHS and CJS professionals. The aim of this study was to examine the experiences and attitudes of workers in the CJS and MHS to inform the development of relevant training. The method was a survey of mental-health workers and legal professionals in the court. The results showed that both agencies were uncertain of their ability to work with the other and there is little training that supports them in this. Both recognized the importance of mentally-ill defendants being dealt with appropriately in court proceedings but acknowledged this is not achieved. There is a shared willingness to sympathize with defendants and a common lack of willingness to give a definite, unqualified response on the relationship between culpability, mental-illness and punishment. Views differ around defendants' threat to security.Findings suggest there is scope to develop interprofessional training programs between the CJS and MHS to improve interagency working and eventually impact on the quality of defendants' lives. Recommendations are made on the type of joint training that could be provided.

Mental health in the Family Health Strategy as perceived by health professionals.

Science.gov (United States)

Souza, Jacqueline de; Almeida, Letícia Yamawaka de; Luis, Margarita Antonia Villar; Nievas, Andreia Fernanda; Veloso, Tatiana Maria Coelho; Barbosa, Sara Pinto; Giacon, Bianca Cristina Ciccone; Assad, Francine Baltazar

2017-01-01

to analyze the management of mental health needs in primary care as perceived by Family Health Strategy professionals. this was a qualitative descriptive exploratory study developed within the coverage area of five family health teams. The data were collected using observation, group interviews, individual semi-structured interviews, and focus groups. Content analysis was conducted using text analysis software and interpretation was based on the corresponding analytical structures. numerous and challenging mental health demands occur in this setting, for which the teams identified care resources; however, they also indicated difficulties, especially related to the operationalization and integration of such resources. there is a need for a care network sensitive to mental health demands that are better coordinated and more effectively managed. analisar o manejo das necessidades de saúde mental na atenção primária à saúde de acordo com a percepção dos profissionais da Estratégia Saúde da Família. estudo qualitativo, descritivo exploratório, desenvolvido no território de abrangência de cinco equipes de saúde da família. Os participantes foram cinco enfermeiras, cinco coordenadores e 17 agentes comunitários de saúde. Os dados foram coletados utilizando observação, entrevistas grupais, entrevistas individuais semiestruturadas e grupos focais. Fez-se a análise de conteúdo com o auxílio de um Software de análise textual, e a interpretação baseou-se nas estruturas analíticas correspondentes. inúmeras e desafiadoras demandas de saúde mental têm sido acolhidas nesse setting, para as quais as equipes identificaram recursos de atendimento; no entanto, apontaram dificuldades, sobretudo relacionadas à operacionalização e integração destes recursos. destaca-se a necessidade de uma rede de cuidados sensível a tais demandas, mais articulada e gerida de modo eficaz.

Modelling intentions to provide smoking cessation support among mental health professionals in the Netherlands

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Blankers, Matthijs; Buisman, Renate; Hopman, Petra; van Gool, Ronald; van Laar, Margriet

2016-01-01

Tobacco use prevalence is elevated among people with mental illnesses, leading to elevated rates of premature smoking-related mortality. Opportunities to encourage smoking cessation among them are currently underused by mental health professionals. In this paper, we aim to explore mechanisms to

Symptoms of Common Mental Disorders and Adverse Health Behaviours in Male Professional Soccer Players

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Gouttebarge, Vincent; Aoki, Haruhito; Kerkhoffs, Gino

2015-01-01

To present time, scientific knowledge about symptoms of common mental disorders and adverse health behaviours among professional soccer players is lacking. Consequently, the aim of the study was to determine the prevalence of symptoms of common mental disorders (distress, anxiety/depression, sleep

Generalist health professional's interactions with consumers who have a mental illness in nonmental health settings: A systematic review of the qualitative research.

Science.gov (United States)

Brunero, Scott; Ramjan, Lucie M; Salamonson, Yenna; Nicholls, Daniel

2018-05-10

Generalist health professionals (GHPs) or those healthcare professionals working in nonmental health facilities are increasingly being required to provide care to consumers with a mental illness. The review aimed to synthesize the qualitative research evidence on the meanings and interpretations made by GHPs (nonmental health professional) who interact with consumers with mental illness in nonmental health settings. A systematic review of the qualitative literature was undertaken for the years 1994-2016. The following electronic databases were searched: CINAHL, MEDLINE, PsycINFO, and Sociological Abstracts. Using narrative synthesis methods, the following themes were identified: mental health knowledge (the GHPs' knowledge level about mental illness and how this impacts their experiences and perceptions); GHPs perceive mental illness as a safety risk (GHPs concern over harm to the consumer and themselves); organizational support (the system response from the environmental design, and expert support and care); and emotional consequences of care (the feelings expressed by GHPs based on their experiences and perceptions of consumers). The results suggest that GHPs provide care in a setting which consists of multiple understandings of what care means. Efforts beyond educational initiatives such as organizational and system-level changes will need to be implemented if we are to progress care for this consumer group. © 2018 Australian College of Mental Health Nurses Inc.

Community mental health nurses speak out: the critical relationship between emotional wellbeing and satisfying professional practice.

Science.gov (United States)

Rose, Jayln; Glass, Nel

2006-10-01

The article reports on selected findings of a research study concerning emotional wellbeing and professional nursing practice (Rose 2002). It highlights the relationship between community mental health nurses' and emotional wellbeing, and their capacity to provide satisfying professional nursing practice (Rose 2002). The notion of emotional wellbeing, factors that impacted upon the participants' emotional wellbeing, and the relationship of emotional wellbeing to professional practice were revealed in the study. These findings were based on a qualitative critical feminist research inquiry and specifically, interviews with five women community mental health nurses in Australia. Whilst complex, emotional wellbeing was found to be both implicitly and explicitly linked to the participants intertwined personal and professional experiences. Four key components were identified: the nebulous notion; the stress relationship; the mind, body, spirit connection; and, inner sense of balance. In terms of emotional wellbeing and professional practice, three themes were revealed. These were: being able to speak out (or not); being autonomous (or not) and being satisfied (or not). The authors argue that the emotional wellbeing of nurses working in community mental health settings is critical to satisfying professional practice. Furthermore nursing work involves emotional work which impacts on one's emotional wellbeing and emotional wellbeing is integrally linked to professional practice. It is recommended that health organisations must be pro-active in addressing the emotional needs of nurses to ensure the delivery of health care that is aligned to professional practice. This approach will ensure nurses will feel more recognised and validated in terms of their nursing practice.

Attitudes about depression and its treatment among mental health professionals, lay persons and immigrants and refugees in Norway.

Science.gov (United States)

Erdal, Kristi; Singh, Namrita; Tardif, Annette

2011-10-01

Internationally, depression is a common psychological disorder whose treatment depends upon its identification by treating professionals as well as patient utilization of mental health care systems; the latter often being hampered by cultural differences between patients and health professionals. The current study used vignettes of depressed patients which varied the culture and/or social circumstances of the patient to assess whether these variables influenced the conceptualization of depression and its treatment. Participants (N=722) included mental health professionals, lay people, immigrants, and refugees in Norway. We found that immigrants and refugees, particularly those of non-western origin, endorsed different types of depression treatments from native Norwegians and mental health professionals, and judged who deserved treatment and who was overreacting based on the patient's culture and social circumstances, while native Norwegians did not. While widely used cross-culturally, vignette methodology is limited in its generalizability to real clinical situations. Acculturation was not evaluated, which may have influenced the results. Findings support the integration of cultural competency ideals not only into treatment, but also into public health promotions of mental health services for lay people. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Communication skills training for mental health professionals working with people with severe mental illness.

Science.gov (United States)

Papageorgiou, Alexia; Loke, Yoon K; Fromage, Michelle

2017-06-13

Research evidence suggests that both mental health professionals and people with severe mental health illness such as schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder find it difficult to communicate with each other effectively about symptoms, treatments and their side effects so that they reach a shared understanding about diagnosis, prognosis and treatment. Effective use of communication skills in mental health interactions could be associated with increased patient satisfaction and adherence to treatment. To review the effectiveness of communication skills training for mental health professionals who work with people with severe mental illness. We searched the Cochrane Schizophrenia Trials Register (latest search 17 February, 2016) which is compiled by systematic searches of major resources (including AMED, BIOSIS, CINAHL, Embase, MEDLINE, PsycINFO, PubMed, and registries of clinical trials) and their monthly updates, handsearches, grey literature, and conference proceedings. There are no language, date, document type, or publication status limitations for inclusion of records into the register. All relevant randomised clinical trials (RCTs) that focused on communication skills training (CST) for mental health professionals who work with people with severe mental illness compared with those who received standard or no training. We sought a number of primary (patient adherence to treatment and attendance at scheduled appointments as well as mental health professionals' satisfaction with the training programme) and secondary outcomes (patients' global state, service use, mental state, patient satisfaction, social functioning, quality of life). RCTs where the unit of randomisation was by cluster (e.g. healthcare facility) were also eligible for inclusion. We included one trial that met our inclusion criteria and reported useable data. We independently selected studies, quality assessed them and extracted data. For binary outcomes, we planned to calculate standard

THE CHALLENGES OF SCHOOL-BASED YOUTH SUICIDE PREVENTION: EXPERIENCES AND PERCEPTIONS OF MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONALS IN SOUTH AFRICAN SCHOOLS

OpenAIRE

Woolf, Maryke; Bantjes, Jason; Kagee, Ashraf

2015-01-01

Youth suicidal behaviour poses a significant public health concern. Mental health care professionals working in schools have an important role to play in youth suicide prevention initiatives, although little is known of the experiences of this group of professionals in the developing world. The aim of this study was to explore the experiences of mental health professionals working in South African schools and document their insights, attitudes and beliefs regarding youth suicidal behaviour. I...

The Mental Health Team: Evaluation From a Professional Viewpoint. A Qualitative Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Pileño, María Elena; Morillo, Javier; Morillo, Andrea; Losa-Iglesias, Marta

2018-04-01

Health care institutions include workers who must operate in accordance with the requirements of the position, even though there are psychosocial influences that can affect the stability of the worker. To analyze the organizational culture of the team of professionals who work in the mental health network. A qualitative methodology was used to assess a sample of 55 mental health professionals who have been practicing for at least 5years. "Team" was the overall topic. The subtopics within "Team" were: getting along in the unit, getting along with the patient, personal resources for dealing with patients, adaptive resources of team members and, resources that the team uses in their group activities. It was observed that the team does not work with a common objective and needs an accepted leader to manage the group. The definition and acceptance of roles can result in conflict. By increasing the skill level of each worker, the multidisciplinary team would be more collaborative. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Emotional Intelligence and resilience in mental health professionals caring for patients with serious mental illness.

Science.gov (United States)

Frajo-Apor, Beatrice; Pardeller, Silvia; Kemmler, Georg; Hofer, Alex

2016-09-01

Emotional Intelligence (EI) and resilience may be considered as prerequisites for mental health professionals caring for patients with serious mental illness (SMI), since they are often exposed to severe emotional stress during daily work. Accordingly, this cross-sectional study assessed both EI and resilience and their interrelationship in 61 individuals belonging to an assertive outreach team for patients suffering from SMI compared 61 control subjects without healthcare-related working conditions. EI was assessed by means of the German version of the Mayer-Salovey-Caruso-Emotional-Intelligence Test (MSCEIT), resilience was assessed using the German version of the Resilience Scale. Both groups showed an average level of EI in all categories of the MSCEIT and indicated high levels of resilience. They did not differ significantly from each other, neither in terms of EI nor resilience. Correlation analysis revealed a positive association between EI and resilience, albeit small in magnitude. Our results suggest that mental health professionals are not more resilient and therefore not more 'protected' from stressors than the general population. Though this finding warrants cautious interpretation, the positive correlation between EI and resilience suggests that EI may be a potential target for education and training in order to strengthen resilience even in healthy individuals and vice versa.

Undergraduate mental health nursing education in Australia: More than Mental Health First Aid.

Science.gov (United States)

Happell, Brenda; Wilson, Rhonda; McNamara, Paul

2015-01-01

Mental Health First Aid training is designed to equip people with the skills to help others who may be developing mental health problems or experiencing mental health crises. This training has consistently been shown to increase: (1) the recognition of mental health problems; (2) the extent to which course trainees' beliefs about treatment align with those of mental health professionals; (3) their intentions to help others; and (4) their confidence in their abilities to assist others. This paper presents a discussion of the potential role of Mental Health First Aid training in undergraduate mental health nursing education. Three databases (CINAHL, Medline, and PsycINFO) were searched to identify literature on Mental Health First Aid. Although Mental Health First Aid training has strong benefits, this first responder level of education is insufficient for nurses, from whom people expect to receive professional care. It is recommended that: (1) Mental Health First Aid training be made a prerequisite of preregistration nurse education, (2) registered nurses make a larger contribution to addressing the mental health needs of Australians requiring care, and (3) current registered nurses take responsibility for ensuring that they can provided basic mental health care, including undertaking training to rectify gaps in their knowledge.

Working with childhood sexual abuse: a survey of mental health professionals.

Science.gov (United States)

Day, Andrew; Thurlow, Katie; Woolliscroft, Jessica

2003-02-01

This study aimed to establish the views of a group of mental health professionals from various disciplines working in mental health service in a British hospital about the needs of clients who had experienced childhood sexual abuse. Staff members were asked to complete an anonymous survey which asked questions relating to knowledge of sexual abuse and its effects, and the needs of clients and staff in working with this client group. A total of 54 people responded to the survey, 42 were female, 11 male. Most (72%) reported having over 10 years experience working in mental health, working in both in-patient and out-patient settings. While respondents were reasonably knowledgeable about childhood sexual abuse, they were not very comfortable, competent or supported in their work with this client group. There were no differences in responses according to the age or gender of respondents, but less experienced staff were more likely to feel supported. Those that had received training and/or supervision felt significantly more capable in working with this client group. The study offers some support for the development of specialist training, consultancy and supervision programs for mental health staff in the area of child sexual abuse.

Educational games for mental health professionals: a Cochrane review.

Science.gov (United States)

Bhoopathi, P S; Sheoran, R; Adams, C E

2007-05-01

Learning in general can be been a passive process. This review is aimed at evaluating the effectiveness of educational games as a teaching strategy in mental health professionals. We searched for all relevant randomised control trials (RCT) that compared educational games as teaching strategies with other methods of learning using electronic and reference searching, and by contacting trial authors. Data were extracted from selected trials and, individual person data was analysed using fixed effect Peto Odds Ratio (OR) and the 95% confidence intervals (CI). If appropriate, the number needed to treat (NNT) or number needed to harm (NNH) was estimated. For continuous data, we calculated weighted mean differences. We identified one trial (n = 34) of an educational game for mental health nursing students which followed up participants only over a few hours. For an outcome we arbitrarily defined ('no academically important improvement [a 10% improvement in scores]'), those allocated to educational games fared considerably better than students in the standard education techniques group (OR 0.06 CI 0.01 to 0.27, NNT 3 CI 2 to 4). On average those in the games group scored six more points than the control students on a test of questions relevant to psychosis set to the standard of the mental health nursing curriculum of the day (WMD 6 CI 2.63 to 9.37). Current limited evidence suggests educational games could help mental health students gain more points in their tests; however this interesting study should be refined and repeated.

The correlation of mentoring and job satisfaction: a pilot study of mental health professionals.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Cheryl D; del Carmen Montiel, Eliette

2011-08-01

A pilot study examined the relationship between job satisfaction and perceived mentoring among 56 mental health supervisors and practitioners in a county mental health agency. Participants completed the Alleman Mentoring Activities Questionnaires and the Job Descriptive Index and Job in General Scale. Practitioners who perceived they were involved in mentoring relationships with supervisors were more satisfied with their jobs than those who perceived that they were not involved in mentoring relationships. The mentoring functions of sponsoring, assigning challenging tasks, and demonstrating trust predicted job satisfaction. Recommendations include incorporating mentoring functions in supervisory training to increase mental health professionals' job satisfaction.

Improving collaboration between professionals supporting mentally ill offenders.

Science.gov (United States)

Hean, Sarah; Ødegård, Atle; Willumsen, Elisabeth

2017-06-12

Purpose Interprofessional collaboration is necessary when supporting mentally ill offenders but little is understood of these interactions. The purpose of this paper is to explore prison officers' perceptions of current and desirable levels of interprofessional collaboration (relational coordination (RC)) to understand how collaboration between these systems can be improved. Design/methodology/approach Gittell's RC scale was administered to prison officers within the Norwegian prison system ( n=160) using an adaptation of the instrument in which actual and desired levels of RC are evaluated. This differentiates between prison officers' expectations of optimum levels of collaboration with other professional groups, dependent on the role function and codependence, vs actual levels of collaboration. Findings Prison officers reported different RC levels across professional groups, the lowest being with specialist mental health staff and prison doctors and highest with nurses, social workers and other prison officers. Significant differences between desired and actual RC levels suggest expertise of primary care staff is insufficient, as prison officers request much greater contact with mental health specialists when dealing with the mentally ill offender. Originality/value The paper contributes to limited literature on collaborative practice between prison and health care professionals. It questions the advisability of enforcing care pathways that promote the lowest level of effective care in the prison system and suggest ways in which mental health specialists might be better integrated into the prison system. It contributes to the continued debate on how mental health services should be integrated into the prison system, suggesting that the current import model used in Norway and other countries, may not be conducive to generating the close professional relationships required between mental health and prison staff.

What makes generalist mental health professionals effective when working with people with an intellectual disability? A family member and support person perspective.

Science.gov (United States)

Weise, Janelle; Fisher, Karen R; Trollor, Julian N

2018-05-01

Generalist mental health professionals are inadequately equipped to meet the rights of people with intellectual disability. A better understanding of the attributes of effective professionals may assist in the development of workforce capacity in this area. Twenty-eight family/support persons of people with intellectual disability participated in four focus groups. Thematic analysis was undertaken applying the Intellectual Disability Mental Health Core Competencies Framework. Participants described attributes that aligned with current professional expectations such as working together and new attributes such as differentiating between behaviour and mental health. An unexpected finding was the need for professionals to be able to infer meaning by interpreting multiple sources of information. Participants also wanted professionals to acknowledge their professional limitations and seek professional support. Family/support persons identified a range of attributes of effective mental health professionals to support people with intellectual disability. Further research is necessary, particularly from the perspective of people with intellectual disability. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Family of older adults with mental disorder: perception of mental health professionals.

Science.gov (United States)

Saidel, Maria Giovana Borges; Campos, Claudinei José Gomes

2017-01-01

to understand the perceptions of healthcare professionals of the Psychosocial Care Centers regarding the family of older adults with mental disorders. study of a Qualitative Case conducted with 12 healthcare professionals from a Psychosocial Care Center, with a convenient and exhaustive sample. Conducting semi-structured interviews to collect data, which were analyzed with the Content Analysis technique. the following categories stood out: "Family exhaustion and deterioration in the perception of the healthcare professional" and "The abandonment of older adults by family members and their distancing in the perception of the healthcare professional." culpability of older adults and penalization of the family were verified by healthcare professionals. To bring awareness about the difficulties faced in the attempt to bring the family closer to the healthcare service, it is necessary to analyze the care given to the older adult and to overcome challenges in the effective construction of the bond between family, healthcare user and mental health service. compreender as percepções dos profissionais do Centro de Atenção Psicossocial acerca da família do idoso em sofrimento psíquico. estudo de Caso Qualitativo conduzido com 12 profissionais de um Centro de Atenção Psicossocial com amostra composta por intencionalidade e fechada por exaustão. Realização de entrevistas semiestruturadas para coleta de dados, analisados por meio da técnica de Análise de Conteúdo. destacaram-se as categorias "O cansaço e o desgaste familiar na percepção do profissional" e "O abandono e o afastamento do idoso pela família na percepção do profissional". verificou-se a culpabilização do idoso e a penalização da família pelos profissionais. Visando à conscientização das dificuldades em aproximar a família, é necessária a criação de espaços reflexivos sobre o cuidado a essa população, bem como a superação dos desafios na construção efetiva do vínculo entre

Evaluation of a co-delivered training package for community mental health professionals on service user- and carer-involved care planning.

Science.gov (United States)

Grundy, A C; Walker, L; Meade, O; Fraser, C; Cree, L; Bee, P; Lovell, K; Callaghan, P

2017-08-01

WHAT IS KNOWN ON THE SUBJECT?: There is consistent evidence that service users and carers feel marginalized in the process of mental health care planning. Mental health professionals have identified ongoing training needs in relation to involving service users and carers in care planning. There is limited research on the acceptability of training packages for mental health professionals which involve service users and carers as co-facilitators. WHAT DOES THIS PAPER ADD TO EXISTING KNOWLEDGE?: A co-produced and co-delivered training package on service user- and carer-involved care planning was acceptable to mental health professionals. Aspects of the training that were particularly valued were the co-production model, small group discussion and the opportunity for reflective practice. The organizational context of care planning may need more consideration in future training models. WHAT ARE THE IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE?: Mental health nurses using co-production models of delivering training to other mental health professionals can be confident that such initiatives will be warmly welcomed, acceptable and engaging. On the basis of the results reported here, we encourage mental health nurses to use co-production approaches more often. Further research will show how clinically effective this training is in improving outcomes for service users and carers. Background There is limited evidence for the acceptability of training for mental health professionals on service user- and carer-involved care planning. Aim To investigate the acceptability of a co-delivered, two-day training intervention on service user- and carer-involved care planning. Methods Community mental health professionals were invited to complete the Training Acceptability Rating Scale post-training. Responses to the quantitative items were summarized using descriptive statistics (Miles, ), and qualitative responses were coded using content analysis (Weber, ). Results Of 350 trainees, 310 completed the

Brief Report: Need for Autonomy and Other Perceived Barriers Relating to Adolescents' Intentions to Seek Professional Mental Health Care

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Wilson, Coralie J.; Deane, Frank P.

2012-01-01

The current study examined the relationship between belief-based barriers to seeking professional mental health care and help-seeking intentions in a sample of 1037 adolescents. From early adolescence to adulthood, for males and females, the need for autonomy was a strong barrier to seeking professional mental health care. Help-seeking fears were…

Evaluating Explicit and Implicit Stigma of Mental Illness in Mental Health Professionals and Medical Students

OpenAIRE

Kopera, Maciej; Suszek, Hubert; Bonar, Erin; Myszka, Maciej; Gmaj, Bart?omiej; Ilgen, Mark; Wojnar, Marcin

2014-01-01

The study investigated explicit and implicit attitudes towards people with mental illness among medical students (non-professionals) with no previous contact with mentally ill patients and psychiatrists and psychotherapists (professionals) who had at least 2?years of professional contact with mentally ill patients. Explicit attitudes where assessed by self-report. Implicit attitudes were measured with the Go/No-Go Association Task, a variant of the Implicit Association Test that does not requ...

School Mental Health Professionals' Training, Comfort, and Attitudes toward Interprofessional Collaboration with Pediatric Primary Care Providers

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Arora, Prerna G.; Connors, Elizabeth H.; Biscardi, Krystin A.; Hill, Allison M.

2016-01-01

Despite the well-documented need for interprofessional collaboration (IPC) between school mental health (SMH) professionals and pediatric primary care providers (PCPs), research on current collaborative practices of these professionals is limited. Accordingly, using survey methodology, this study investigated SMH professionals' previous training…

Bibliotherapy with Young People: Librarians and Mental Health Professionals Working Together.

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Doll, Beth; Doll, Carol

This resource shows librarians and mental health professionals how to use the power of books as therapy when working with children and young adults. After defining "bibliotherapy," the book considers what skills and competencies are needed to qualify an individual to be a bibliotherapist. It then explores how bibliotherapy can be used to meet the…

Poverty and mental health: What should we know as mental health professionals?

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Lepiéce, Brice; Reynaert, Christine; Jacques, Denis; Zdanowicz, Nicolas

2015-09-01

Social inequality as a social and economic phenomenon has become an issue of common interest in Europe and other societies worldwide, mainly after the recent global financial and economic crisis that occurred in 2008. The increasing gap observed between socioeconomically advantaged and disadvantaged people has caused intensive debates in politics, social sciences and in the field of public health. Today, poverty is considered as a major variable adversely influencing health. In this paper we will discuss the link between poverty and mental health. We conducted a literature search focusing on three main objectives: (I) to investigate the definition of "poverty"; (II) to determine the association between poverty and major mental health problems; and (III) to discuss the extent to which poverty could be both a cause and a consequence of mental health. We identified a total of 142 relevant papers, published between 1995 and 2014, only 32 were retained. Main findings are summarised in this paper. Poverty can be considered as a risk factor for mental illness. Yet the relation between poverty and mental health is complex, without direct causation, and bidirectional. As poverty has severe consequences not only on health but also on the whole society, combating poverty should be placed high on the political agenda.

Meeting the mental health needs of people with multiple sclerosis: a qualitative study of patients and professionals.

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Methley, Abigail; Campbell, Stephen; Cheraghi-Sohi, Sudeh; Chew-Graham, Carolyn

2017-06-01

To explore perspectives and experiences of people with multiple sclerosis (MS) and health care professionals of mental health support for MS in the UK. 24 people with MS, 13 practice nurses, 12 general practitioners (GPs) and 9 MS specialist nurses were recruited through community groups and primary care practices across North West England. Semi-structured interviews were conducted, and data analyzed thematically using constant comparative analysis within and across the data sets. The theoretical framework of candidacy was used to interrogate data. Four themes were identified: candidates for care, management choices, defining roles, and permeability and responsiveness. Candidacy for care, and symptom management, depended on the framing of symptoms through a social or medical model of depression. Normalizing symptoms could prevent help-seeking by patients. Reported referral behavior varied by professional group, based on perceived remit, competency and training needs. GPs were perceived by patients and other professionals as central for management of mental health needs in MS, but may not perceive this role themselves, suggesting a need for increased knowledge, training, and improved access to specialist care. Implications for Rehabilitation Anxiety and depression are common in people with MS. Management of mental health needs in people with MS relies on complex decisions made by both people with MS and health care professionals. General practitioners may play a key role in the ongoing management of mental health needs of people with MS.

Struggles of Professionalism and Emotional Labour in Standardized Mental Health Care

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Annette Kamp

2016-03-01

Full Text Available This article points out how recent public sector reforms under headings as New Public Management, Lean and Quality Reforms entail different forms for standardization, and examines how this development instigates a transformation of interdisciplinary and highly skilled emotional labor in mental healthcare. It is based on an ethnographic study of a Danish child psychiatric unit, which ‘produces’ diagnoses and treatment/therapy for children and their families. We illustrate how the enforcement of standardization upsets the balance between the humanistic and medical aspects of psychiatry as a discipline and field of practice, and show how this development challenges professional identities, interdisciplinary collaboration and hierarchical relations. The development is however negotiated, reformulated, and opposed, in teams of mental health professionals. In this context of increasing standardization, highly skilled emotional labor unfolds. We point out how acceleration and leaning of work procedures increases the emotional labor in relation to clients, partners, and colleagues. But paradoxically, at the same time, emotional labor becomes still more invisible as it is excluded from the standardized schemes. The study illustrates the crucial role of emotional labor in mental care work and points out how it is left to the professionals to negotiate paradoxes and make ends meet.

D-day for mental health.

Science.gov (United States)

2005-02-16

THERE COULD be no better time for a review of mental health nursing. It is 11 years since the last one, which in itself suggests change must be overdue if professional practice is to keep pace with health service reforms. As the largest professional group in mental health care, nurses will be relied on to deliver the reforms outlined in the Mental Health Bill, as well as the measures to improve race equality in the service. Nurses will also be promoting good mental health as outlined in last autumn's public health white paper. All these initiatives can only benefit from the chance to take stock.

Bridging the Digital Disconnect: Exploring the Views of Professionals on Using Technology to Promote Young People's Mental Health

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Clarke, Aleisha M.; Chambers, Derek; Barry, Margaret M.

2017-01-01

The increasing role of online technologies in young people's lives has significant implications for professionals' engagement with technologies to promote youth mental health and well-being. However, relatively little is known about professionals' views on the role of technologies in supporting youth mental health. This article outlines key…

Nursing Home Social Workers and Allied Professionals: Enhancing Geriatric Mental Health Knowledge

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Bonifas, Robin P.

2011-01-01

Research has highlighted the challenges social services professionals face in providing quality psychosocial care to persons living in skilled nursing facilities (SNFs). A primary area of difficulty is addressing the needs of persons with mental health conditions, including problematic behaviors associated with dementia. This study evaluated the…

Effectiveness of Mindfulness Intervention in Reducing Stress and Burnout for Mental Health Professionals in Singapore.

Science.gov (United States)

Suyi, Yang; Meredith, Pamela; Khan, Asaduzzaman

Stress and burnout have been shown to be a concern among mental health professionals in several countries including Singapore, and can affect quality of care and staff turnover. The aim of this study was to examine the effectiveness of a mindfulness program in increasing mindfulness and compassion, and reducing stress and burnout, among mental health professionals in Singapore. The study utilized data from a prospective pre-post study design with follow-up. A total of 37 mental health professionals participated in the program, which was conducted in three cohorts over nine months. The program consisted of six, two-hour sessions offered once a week over six weeks, and used a range of mindfulness techniques to teach participants to cultivate compassionate and non-judgemental attitudes toward their inner experiences. Data were collected at three stages: pre- and post-intervention, and three months follow-up. Assessments considered mindfulness (five facets mindfulness questionnaire), compassion (self-compassion scale-SF and compassion scale), stress (perceived stress scale-10), and burnout (Oldenburg Burnout inventory). Participants demonstrated significant improvement in four of the five mindfulness facets (observe, describe, non-judge, and non-react) and in compassion levels, and a significant reduction in stress, following intervention. The gains in mindfulness and self-compassion scores were maintained at three months follow-up. No change was observed for burnout variables. Results suggest that mindfulness training was effective in reducing stress and improving mindfulness and compassion, but not decreasing burnout, for this group of mental health professionals in Singapore. Future experimental research with larger samples is warranted to validate the findings of the present study. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

What factors influence the decisions of mental health professionals to release service users from seclusion?

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Jackson, Haley; Baker, John; Berzins, Kathyrn

2018-06-22

Mental health policy stipulates seclusion should only be used as an intervention of last resort and for the minimum possible duration. Current evidence details which service users are more likely to be secluded, why they are secluded, and what influences the decision to seclude them. However, very little is known about the decision to release service users from seclusion. An integrative review was undertaken to explore the decision-making processes of mental health professionals which guide the ending of seclusion. The review used a systematic approach to gather and thematically analyse evidence within a framework approach. The twelve articles identified generated one overriding theme, maintaining safety. In addition, several subthemes emerged including the process of risk assessing which was dependent upon interaction and control, mediated by factors external to the service user such as the attitude and experience of staff and the acuity of the environment. Service users were expected to demonstrate compliance with the process ultimately ending in release and reflection. Little evidence exists regarding factors influencing mental health professionals in decisions to release service users from seclusion. There is no evidence-based risk assessment tool, and service users are not routinely involved in the decision to release them. Support from experienced professionals is vital to ensure timely release from seclusion. Greater insight into influences upon decisions to discontinue episodes may support initiatives aimed at reducing durations and use of seclusion. © 2018 Australian College of Mental Health Nurses Inc.

Stigmatising attitudes towards people with mental disorders: a comparison of Australian health professionals with the general community.

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Reavley, Nicola J; Mackinnon, Andrew J; Morgan, Amy J; Jorm, Anthony F

2014-05-01

The aim of this paper was to explore attitudes towards people with mental disorders among Australian health professionals (psychiatrists, psychologists and general practitioners (GPs)) and to compare their attitudes with members of the general community. The study involved a postal survey of 518 GPs, 506 psychiatrists and 498 clinical psychologists and a telephone survey of 6019 members of the general community. Participants were given a case vignette describing a person with either depression, depression with suicidal thoughts, early schizophrenia, chronic schizophrenia, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or social phobia and two questionnaires to assess stigmatising attitudes (the Depression Stigma Scale and the Social Distance Scale). Exploratory structural equation modelling was used to elucidate the structure of stigma as measured by the two scales, to establish dimensions of stigma and to compare patterns of association according to gender, age, vignette and professional grouping. The measurement characteristics of stigmatising attitudes in health professionals were found to be comparable to those in members of the general community in social distance and also in personal and perceived attitude stigma, with each forming distinct dimensions and each comprising 'Weak-not-sick' and 'Dangerous/unpredictable' components. Among health professionals, female gender, age and being a GP were associated with higher scores on the personal stigma scales. Mental health professionals had lower scores on the personal 'Weak-not-sick' and 'Dangerous/unpredictable' scales than members of the general community, while there were no significant differences in the desire for social distance between health professionals and the general community. While mental health professionals have less stigmatising attitudes than the general public, the greater beliefs in dangerousness and personal weakness by GPs should be addressed.

Mental health treatment-related stigma and professional help seeking among student veterans.

Science.gov (United States)

Currier, Joseph M; McDermott, Ryon C; McCormick, Wesley H

2017-11-01

Record numbers of military veterans are enrolling at colleges/universities across the United States. Although a substantive subset might suffer from mental health problems, the majority of these students might not be amenable to utilizing services. The purpose of this study was to examine the role of treatment-related stigma in intentions to seek professional help among undergraduate student veterans at a university on the U.S. Gulf Coast. Focusing on 251 veterans and a gender-matched comparison group of 251 nonveterans, student veterans endorsed higher probabilities of seeking care from physicians (d = .77) and psychologists or other professionals (d = .67). In addition, nonveteran students had greater self-stigma about seeking help (d = -.27) but veterans had more negative beliefs about treatment efficacy (d = 1.07). When compared with veterans who did not exceed clinical thresholds, those with a probable need for treatment had more stigma (ds = .63). Multivariate analyses also revealed an inverse main effect of self-stigma on intentions to seek help from both professional categories. However, military experience differentially moderated associations between treatment-related beliefs and intentions to seek mental health services. Finally, exploratory analyses identified that student veterans were most likely to engage in therapy/counseling at a Veterans Affairs Medical Center or Clinic, Vet Center, or other noninstitutionally sponsored settings in the community (e.g., private practices, faith-based organizations). Looking ahead, these findings will inform research and the provision of services for addressing the mental health needs of this substantive subpopulation of college students in the United States. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

The right place? Users and professionals' constructions of the place's influence on personal recovery in community mental health services.

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Femdal, Ingrid

2018-01-01

Current mental health policy emphasizes the importance of community-based service delivery for people with mental health problems to encompass personal recovery. The aim of this study is to explore how users and professionals construct the place's influence on personal recovery in community mental health services. This is a qualitative, interpretive study based on ten individual, semi-structured interviews with users and professionals, respectively. A discourse analysis inspired by the work of Foucault was used to analyze the interviews. The findings show how place can be constructed as a potential for and as a barrier against recovery. Constructions of the aim of the services matter when choosing a place for the services. Further, constructions of user-professional relationships and flexibility are important in the constructions of an appropriate place for the services. The aim of the service, the user-professional relationship, and flexibility in choosing place were essential in the participants' constructions. To find "the right place" for mental health services was constructed as context-sensitive and complex processes of assessment and co-determination. Trial registration The study is approved by the Regional Committee for Medical Research Ethics, Norway (REK-Midt 2011/2057).

Mental Health Mobile Apps: From Infusion to Diffusion in the Mental Health Social System

OpenAIRE

East, Marlene Lynette; Havard, Byron C

2015-01-01

The roles of mental health educators and professionals in the diffusion of mental health mobile apps are addressed in this viewpoint article. Mental health mobile apps are emerging technologies that fit under the broad heading of mobile health (mHealth). mHealth, encompassed within electronic health (eHealth), reflects the use of mobile devices for the practice of public health. Well-designed mental health mobile apps that present content in interactive, engaging, and stimulating ways can pro...

An Exploratory Study of Animal-Assisted Interventions Utilized by Mental Health Professionals

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O'Callaghan, Dana M.; Chandler, Cynthia K.

2011-01-01

This study implemented an exploratory analysis to examine how a sample of mental health professionals incorporates specific animal-assisted techniques into the therapeutic process. An extensive review of literature related to animal-assisted therapy (AAT) resulted in the identification of 18 techniques and 10 intentions for the practice of AAT in…

Do On-Site Mental Health Professionals Change Pediatricians' Responses to Children's Mental Health Problems?

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McCue Horwitz, Sarah; Storfer-Isser, Amy; Kerker, Bonnie D; Szilagyi, Moira; Garner, Andrew S; O'Connor, Karen G; Hoagwood, Kimberly E; Green, Cori M; Foy, Jane M; Stein, Ruth E K

2016-01-01

To assess the availability of on-site mental health professionals (MHPs) in primary care; to examine practice/pediatrician characteristics associated with on-site MHPs; and to determine whether the presence of on-site MHPs is related to pediatricians' comanaging or more frequently identifying, treating/managing, or referring mental health (MH) problems. Analyses included American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) members who participated in an AAP Periodic Survey in 2013 and who practiced general pediatrics (n = 321). Measures included sociodemographics, practice characteristics, questions about on-site MHPs, comanagement of MH problems, and pediatricians' behaviors in response to 5 prevalent MH problems. Weighted univariate, bivariate, and multivariable analyses were performed. Thirty-five percent reported on-site MHPs. Practice characteristics (medical schools, universities, health maintenance organizations, managed, or referred 5 common child MH problems. Among the subset of pediatricians who reported comanaging, there was an association with comanagement when the on-site MHP was a child psychiatrist, substance abuse counselor, or social worker. On-site MHPs are more frequent in settings where low-income children are served and where pediatricians train. Pediatricians who comanage MH problems are more likely to do so when the on-site MHP is a child psychiatrist, substance abuse counselor, or social worker. Overall, on-site MHPs were not associated with comanagement or increased likelihood of pediatricians identifying, treating/managing, or referring children with 5 common child MH problems. Copyright © 2016 Academic Pediatric Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Profiles of mental health care professionals based on work role performance.

Science.gov (United States)

Markon, Marie-Pierre; Bamvita, Jean-Marie; Chiocchio, François; Fleury, Marie-Josée

2017-12-01

The worldwide burden of mental disorders is considerable, and on the rise, putting pressure on health care systems. Current reforms aim to improve the efficiency of mental health care systems by increasing service integration in communities and strengthening primary mental health care. In this context, mental health care professionals (MHPs) are increasingly required to work on interdisciplinary teams in a variety of settings. Little is known, however, about the profiles of MHPs in relation to their perceived work role performance. MHPs in Quebec (N = 315) from four local service networks completed a self-administered questionnaire eliciting information on individual and team characteristics, as well as team processes and states. Profiles of MHPs were created using a two-step cluster analysis. Five profiles were generated. MHPs belonging to profiles labelled senior medical outpatient specialized care MHPs and senior psychosocial outpatient specialized care MHPs perceived themselves as more performing than MHPs in other profiles. The profile labelled low-collaborators was significantly less performing than all other groups. Two other profiles were identified, positioned between the aforementioned groups in terms of the perceived performance of MHPs: the junior primary care MHPs and the diversified specialized care MHPs. Seniority within the team, delivering specialized type of care, and positive team processes were all features associated with profiles where perceived work performance was high. Overall, this study supports the case for initiatives aimed at improving stability and interdisciplinary collaboration in health teams, especially in primary care.

Mental Health Nurse Incentive Program: facilitating physical health care for people with mental illness?

Science.gov (United States)

Happell, Brenda; Platania-Phung, Chris; Scott, David

2013-10-01

People with serious mental illness have increased rates of physical ill-health and reduced contact with primary care services. In Australia, the Mental Health Nurse Incentive Program (MHNIP) was developed to facilitate access to mental health services. However, as a primary care service, the contribution to physical health care is worthy of consideration. Thirty-eight nurses who were part of the MHNIP participated in a national survey of nurses working in mental health about physical health care. The survey invited nurses to report their views on the physical health of consumers and the regularity of physical health care they provide. Physical health-care provision in collaboration with general practitioners (GPs) and other health-care professionals was reported as common. The findings suggest that the MHNIP provides integrated care, where nurses and GPs work in collaboration, allowing enough time to discuss physical health or share physical health activities. Consumers of this service appeared to have good access to physical and mental health services, and nurses had access to primary care professionals to discuss consumers' physical health and develop their clinical skills in the physical domain. The MHNIP has an important role in addressing physical health concerns, in addition to the mental health issues of people accessing this service. © 2012 The Authors; International Journal of Mental Health Nursing © 2012 Australian College of Mental Health Nurses Inc.

Mental Health Screening Center

Science.gov (United States)

... Releases & Announcements Public Service Announcements Partnering with DBSA Mental Health Screening Center These online screening tools are not ... you have any concerns, see your doctor or mental health professional. Depression Screening for Adult Depression Screening for ...

Guns, schools, and mental illness: potential concerns for physicians and mental health professionals.

Science.gov (United States)

Hall, Ryan Chaloner Winton; Friedman, Susan Hatters

2013-11-01

Since the recent shootings in Tucson, Arizona; Aurora, Colorado; and Newtown, Connecticut, there has been an ever-increasing state and national debate regarding gun control. All 3 shootings involved an alleged shooter who attended college, and in hindsight, evidence of a mental illness was potentially present in these individuals while in school. What appears to be different about the current round of debate is that both pro-gun control and anti-gun control advocates are focusing on mentally ill individuals, early detection of mental illness during school years, and the interactions of such individuals with physicians and the mental health system as a way to solve gun violence. This raises multiple questions for our profession about the apparent increase in these types of events, dangerousness in mentally ill individuals, when to intervene (voluntary vs involuntary), and what role physicians should play in the debate and ongoing prevention. As is evident from the historic Tarasoff court case, physicians and mental health professionals often have new regulations/duties, changes in the physician-patient relationship, and increased liability resulting from high-profile events such as these. Given that in many ways the prediction of who will actually commit a violent act is difficult to determine with accuracy, physicians need to be cautious with how the current gun debate evolves not only for ourselves (eg, increased liability, becoming de facto agents of the state) but for our patients as well (eg, increased stigma, erosion of civil liberties, and changes in the physician-patient relationship). We provide examples of potential troublesome legislation and suggestions on what can be done to improve safety for our patients and for the public. Copyright © 2013 Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Translating E-Mental Health Into Practice: What Are the Barriers and Enablers to E-Mental Health Implementation by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Professionals?

Science.gov (United States)

Singer, Judy; DuBois, Simon; Hyde, Kelly

2017-01-01

Background With increasing evidence for the effectiveness of e-mental health interventions for enhancing mental health and well-being, a growing challenge is how to translate promising research findings into service delivery contexts. A 2012 e-mental health initiative by the Australian Federal Government (eMHPrac) has sought to address the issue through several strategies, one of which has been to train different health professional workforces in e-mental health (e-MH). Objective The aim of the study was to report on the barriers and enablers of e-MH uptake in a cohort of predominantly Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health professionals (21 Indigenous, 5 non-Indigenous) who occupied mainly support or case management roles within their organizations. Methods A 3- or 2-day e-MH training program was followed by up to 5 consultation sessions (mean 2.4 sessions) provided by the 2 trainers. The trainer-consultants provided written reports on each of the 30 consultation sessions for 7 consultation groups. They were also interviewed as part of the study. The written reports and interview data were thematically analyzed by 2 members of the research team. Results Uptake of e-MH among the consultation group was moderate (22%-30% of participants). There were significant organizational barriers to uptake resulting from procedural and administrative problems, demanding workloads, prohibitive policies, and a lack of fit between the organizational culture and the introduction of new technologies. Personal barriers included participant beliefs about the applicability of e-MH to certain populations, and workers’ lack of confidence and skills. However, enthusiastic managers and tech-savvy champions could provide a counter-balance as organizational enablers of e-MH; and the consultation sessions themselves appear to have enhanced skills and confidence, shifted attitudes to new technologies, and seeded a perception that e-MH could be a valuable health education resource

Physical health, lifestyle beliefs and behaviors, and mental health of entering graduate health professional students: Evidence to support screening and early intervention.

Science.gov (United States)

Mazurek Melnyk, Bernadette; Slevin, Caitlin; Militello, Lisa; Hoying, Jacqueline; Teall, Alice; McGovern, Colleen

2016-04-01

Little is known about the physical health, lifestyle beliefs and behaviors, and mental health among first-year health professional graduate students. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to describe these attributes as well as to explore the relationships among them. A descriptive correlational study was conducted on the baseline data from a wellness onboarding intervention study with 93 health sciences students from seven different colleges within a large public land grant university in the Midwest United States. Nearly 40% of the sample was overweight/obese, and 19% of students had elevated total cholesterol levels. Only 44% met the recommended 30 min of exercise 5 days per week. Forty-one percent reported elevated depressive symptoms and 28% had elevated anxiety. Four students reported suicidal ideation. Inverse relationships existed among depression/anxiety and healthy lifestyle beliefs/behaviors. Students entering health professional schools are at high risk for depression, anxiety, and unhealthy behaviors, which could be averted through screening and early evidence-based interventions. Assessing the physical health, lifestyle behaviors, and mental health of first-year health sciences professional students is important to identify health problems and modifiable at-risk behaviors so that early interventions can be implemented to improve outcomes. ©2016 American Association of Nurse Practitioners.

Pakistan mental health country profile.

Science.gov (United States)

Karim, Salman; Saeed, Khalid; Rana, Mowaddat Hussain; Mubbashar, Malik Hussain; Jenkins, Rachel

2004-01-01

The Republic of Pakistan is a South East Asian country with a population of over 140.7 million. Its population is fast growing and the majority (70%) live in rural areas with a feudal or tribal value system. The economy is dependent on agriculture and 35% of the population live below the poverty line. Islam is the main religion and 'mental illnesses' are stigmatized and widely perceived to have supernatural causes. The traditional healers along with psychiatric services are the main mental health service providers. The number of trained mental health professionals is small as compared to the population demands and specialist services are virtually non-existent. Lack of data on prevalence of various mental illnesses and monitory constraints are the major hurdles in the development of mental health services. A number of innovative programmes to develop indigenous models of care like the 'Community Mental Health Programme' and 'Schools Mental Health Programme' have been developed. These programmes have been found effective in reducing stigma and increase awareness of mental illness amongst the adults and children living in rural areas. Efforts by the government and mental health professionals have led to the implementation of a 'National Mental Health Policy' and 'Mental Health Act' in 2001. These aim at integrating mental health services with the existing health services, improving mental health care delivery and safeguarding the rights of mentally ill people. A favourable political will and the help of international institutions like the World Health Organization are required to achieve these aims.

The role of mental health professionals in gender reassignment surgeries: unjust discrimination or responsible care?

Science.gov (United States)

Selvaggi, Gennaro; Giordano, Simona

2014-12-01

Recent literature has raised an important ethical concern relating to the way in which surgeons approach people with gender dysphoria (GD): it has been suggested that referring transsexual patients to mental assessment can constitute a form of unjust discrimination. The aim of this paper is to examine some of the ethical issues concerning the role of the mental health professional in gender reassignment surgeries (GRS). The role of the mental health professional in GRS is analyzed by presenting the Standards of Care by the World Professional Association of Transgender Health, and discussing the principles of autonomy and non-discrimination. Purposes of psychotherapy are exploring gender identity; addressing the negative impact of GD on mental health; alleviating internalized transphobia; enhancing social and peer support; improving body image; promoting resilience; and assisting the surgeons with the preparation prior to the surgery and the patient's follow-up. Offering or requesting psychological assistance is in no way a form of negative discrimination or an attack to the patient's autonomy. Contrarily, it might improve transsexual patients' care, and thus at the most may represent a form of positive discrimination. To treat people as equal does not mean that they should be treated in the same way, but with the same concern and respect, so that their unique needs and goals can be achieved. Offering or requesting psychological assistance to individuals with GD is a form of responsible care, and not unjust discrimination. This journal requires that authors assign a level of evidence to each article. For a full description of these Evidence-Based Medicine ratings, please refer to the Table of Contents or the online Instructions to Authors www.springer.com/00266.

Workplace mental health promotion online to enhance well-being of nurses and allied health professionals: A cluster-randomized controlled trial

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bolier, Linda; Ketelaar, Sarah M.; Nieuwenhuijsen, Karen; Smeets, Odile; Gartner, Fania R.; Sluiter, Judith K.

2014-01-01

Objective Well-being is an important prerequisite for the mental health and work functioning of nurses and allied health professionals. The objective of this study was to examine the effectiveness of a workers' health surveillance (WHS) module that offers screening, tailored feedback and online

No-Suicide Contracts with Suicidal Youth: Mental Health Professionals' Perceptions and Current Practice

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Hansen, Andrea; Heath, Melissa Allen; Williams, Marleen; Fox, Jay; Hudnall, Gregory A.; Bledsoe, Catherine

2012-01-01

Commonly used in clinical and medical settings, no-suicide contracts (NSCs) solicit commitment from suicidal individuals not to attempt suicide. The prevalence of community and school-based Mental Health Professionals' (MHPs) use of NSCs with suicidal youth (SY) is unknown. Additionally, minimal feedback is available regarding MHPs' current…

The experience of mental health professionals using neuro emotional technique in psychotherapeutic practice

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Marriage, Amanda Lynn

This study reviewed how Neuro Emotional Technique (NET) is used in psychotherapeutic practice, and how it is understood and experienced by the practitioners who use it. Participants included 18 mental health professionals who have obtained the certification-level of training in NET and have incorporated NET into their professional practice. A qualitative method was used to explore NET providers' experiences through an online survey. Data from these surveys was analyzed using the constant comparative method. Six categories containing 18 themes emerged as a result of this analysis. These categories included: (1) practitioners currently employing NET; (2) technique utilization; (3) participant estimation of the efficacy of NET; (4) talking about NET; (5) clients most likely to benefit from NET; and (6) clients least likely to benefit from NET. The 18 themes that emerged within these categories represent important components of the integration of NET into psychological treatment. These themes were compared with existing literature to serve as valuable information for psychologists and other mental health professionals seeking to incorporate NET into their professional practices. This study helps to fill the current void in the area of research on NET as a psychological intervention, or more specifically, as a holistic mind-body approach to self-betterment and the amelioration of symptoms for humans who are healing from a broad spectrum of traumatic and stressful experiences.

Health professionals' attitudes towards suicide prevention initiatives.

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Brunero, S; Smith, J; Bates, E; Fairbrother, G

2008-09-01

Preventing suicide can depend upon the ability of a range of different health professionals to make accurate suicide risk assessments and treatment plans. The attitudes that clinicians hold towards suicide prevention initiatives may influence their suicide risk assessment and management skills. This study measures a group of non-mental health professionals' attitude towards suicide prevention initiatives. Health professionals that had attended suicide prevention education showed significantly more positive attitudes towards suicide prevention initiatives. The findings in this study further support the effectiveness of educating non-mental health professionals in suicide risk awareness and management.

Children in Divorce, Custody and Access Situations: The Contribution of the Mental Health Professional.

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Fine, Stuart

1980-01-01

Reviews literature concerned with the contribution of mental health professionals to the well-being of children of divorce. Topics include effects of divorce on children, divorce prevention, predivorce counseling, custody conflicts, postdivorce counseling, and changes in social and educational practices. (Author/DB)

Sustainable Professional Learning for Early Childhood Educators: Lessons from an Australia-Wide Mental Health Promotion Initiative

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Askell-Williams, Helen; Murray-Harvey, Rosalind

2016-01-01

New policy initiatives, such as those concerned with promoting young children's positive mental health, highlight the need for good quality professional education in the early childhood education and care sector. However, although a wealth of literature exists from the school sector, little is known about professional education in early childhood…

Shared War reality effects on the professional quality of life of mental health professionals.

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Pruginin, Itay; Segal-Engelchin, Dorit; Isralowitz, Richard; Reznik, Alexander

2016-01-01

To date, studies on the outcomes of a shared war reality among mental health professionals (MHPs) in southern Israel have focused only on those residing and working in Otef Gaza. The aim of this study is to determine the impact of different exposure levels to shared trauma on the professional quality of life of MHPs in southern Israel. This study compares the level of secondary traumatic stress, burnout, and compassion satisfaction of social workers from Otef Gaza to social workers living and working in the Beer-Sheva area who experience occasional missile attacks. The Professional Quality of Life Scale was used to examine the level of secondary traumatic stress, burnout, and compassion satisfaction of 125 social workers living and working in the Negev: 72 from Beer-Sheva and 53 from the regional councils of Otef Gaza. No statistically significant differences were found in the three professional quality of life variables between the Otef-Gaza and Beer-Sheva groups. The lack of secondary traumatic stress and burnout differences between the study groups, despite the chronic exposure to terror attacks among the Otef Gaza social workers, may be explained by the strong sense of belonging and support evidenced by many Otef Gaza residents as well as by the comprehensive trauma training MHPs receive for work in the region. The results of this study are important for health policy geared to trauma prevention efforts, moderating the effects of work under shared war reality, and promoting the professional quality of life of MHPs in conflict areas.

Dystonia: Emotional and Mental Health

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... Support Frequently Asked Questions Faces of Dystonia Emotional & Mental Health Although dystonia is a movement disorder that impacts ... emotion as well as muscle movement. For years, mental health professionals have recognized that coping with a chronic ...

Attitudes of Health Professionals towards Mental Disorders: Studies in Turkey during the Last Decade

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Zekiye Cetinkaya Duman

2011-06-01

Full Text Available People with mental disorders often manifest their extraordinary characters through their speech and behavior, which in turn creates reactionary attitudes in society. In the same manner, health professionals, as members of the society, can express negative attitudes towards psychiatry patients. Since they provide health services and serve as “consultants” and “role models” for the well-being of people, their discriminating and stigmatizing attitudes may also preclude the involvement of these patients in medical care. Therefore, attitude researches today primarily focus on to analyze the attitudes of health professionals. While a majority of the studies include psychiatrists, general practitioners, specialists and medical students, only a limited number of studies refer to staff nurses and nursing students. The review of literature in this study, therefore, was limited with the researches carried out in the last decade. The aim of this study was to analyze the attitude researches focused on the attitudes of health professionals, especially those of nursing and nursing students in Turkey, and to clarify the similarities and differences with relevant studies. The results of the review illustrated that the attitudes of health professionals towards psychiatry patients and psychiatric disorders have not changed for the last ten years and remained fundamentally discriminating and refusing. The medical curricula in Turkey should be redesigned so as to raise awareness in the course contents of medicine and nursing schools against the negative attitudes during both undergraduate and postgraduate education. Moreover, a more inclusive review of the factors that may have influenced the attitudes towards mental illnesses should be carried out and specially designed education and research programs should be implemented.

Utilization of Professional Mental Health Services Related to Population-Level Screening for Anxiety, Depression, and Post-traumatic Stress Disorder Among Public High School Students.

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Prochaska, John D; Le, Vi Donna; Baillargeon, Jacques; Temple, Jeff R

2016-08-01

This study examines results from three mental health screening measures in a cohort of adolescent public school students in seven public schools in Southeast Texas affiliated with the Dating it Safe study. We estimated the odds of receiving professional mental health treatment in the previous year given results from different mental health screening batteries: the CES-D 10 battery for depression screening, the Screen for Child Anxiety Related Disorders, and the Primary Care Posttraumatic Stress Disorder screen. Overall, students with higher scores on screening instruments for depression, posttraumatic stress disorder, and combinations of screening instruments were more likely to have sought past-year professional mental health treatment than non-symptomatic youth. However, the proportion of students screening positive and receiving professional treatment was low, ranging from 11 to 16 %. This study emphasizes the need for broader evaluation of population-based mental health screening among adolescents.

Psychological contract breach among allied health professionals.

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Rodwell, John; Gulyas, Andre

2015-01-01

Allied health professionals are vital for effective healthcare yet there are continuing shortages of these employees. Building on work with other healthcare professionals, the purpose of this paper is to investigate the influence of psychological contract (PC) breach and types of organisational justice on variables important to retention among allied health professionals: mental health and organisational commitment. The potential effects of justice on the negative outcomes of breach were examined. Multiple regressions analysed data from 113 allied health professionals working in a medium-large Australian healthcare organisation. The main negative impacts on respondents' mental health and commitment were from high PC breach, low procedural and distributive justice and less respectful treatment from organisational representatives. The interaction between procedural justice and breach illustrates that breach may be forgivable if processes are fair. Surprisingly, a betrayal or "aggravated breach effect" may occur after a breach when interpersonal justice is high. Further, negative affectivity was negatively related to respondents' mental health (affective outcomes) but not commitment (work-related attitude). Healthcare organisations should ensure the fairness of decisions and avoid breaking promises within their control. If promises cannot reasonably be kept, transparency of processes behind the breach may allow allied health professionals to understand that the organisation did not purposefully fail to fulfil expectations. This study offers insights into how breach and four types of justice interact to influence employee mental health and work attitudes among allied health professionals.

Mental health professionals' natural taxonomies of mental disorders: implications for the clinical utility of the ICD-11 and the DSM-5.

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Reed, Geoffrey M; Roberts, Michael C; Keeley, Jared; Hooppell, Catherine; Matsumoto, Chihiro; Sharan, Pratap; Robles, Rebeca; Carvalho, Hudson; Wu, Chunyan; Gureje, Oye; Leal-Leturia, Itzear; Flanagan, Elizabeth H; Correia, João Mendonça; Maruta, Toshimasa; Ayuso-Mateos, José Luís; de Jesus Mari, Jair; Xiao, Zeping; Evans, Spencer C; Saxena, Shekhar; Medina-Mora, María Elena

2013-12-01

To examine the conceptualizations held by psychiatrists and psychologists around the world of the relationships among mental disorders in order to inform decisions about the structure of the classification of mental and behavioral disorders in World Health Organization's International Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems 11th Revision (ICD-11). 517 mental health professionals in 8 countries sorted 60 cards containing the names of mental disorders into groups of similar disorders, and then formed a hierarchical structure by aggregating and disaggregating these groupings. Distance matrices were created from the sorting data and used in cluster and correlation analyses. Clinicians' taxonomies were rational, interpretable, and extremely stable across countries, diagnostic system used, and profession. Clinicians' consensus classification structure was different from ICD-10 and the American Psychiatric Association's Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders 4th Edition (DSM-IV), but in many respects consistent with ICD-11 proposals. The clinical utility of the ICD-11 may be improved by making its structure more compatible with the common conceptual organization of mental disorders observed across diverse global clinicians. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Is it time to abandon care planning in mental health services? A qualitative study exploring the views of professionals, service users and carers.

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Brooks, Helen L; Lovell, Karina; Bee, Penny; Sanders, Caroline; Rogers, Anne

2018-06-01

It has been established that mental health-care planning does not adequately respond to the needs of those accessing services. Understanding the reasons for this and identifying whose needs care plans serve requires an exploration of the perspectives of service users, carers and professionals within the wider organizational context. To explore the current operationalization of care planning and perceptions of its function within mental health services from the perspectives of multiple stakeholders. Participants included 21 mental health professionals, 29 service users and 4 carers from seven Mental Health Trusts in England. All participants had experience of care planning processes within secondary mental health-care services. Fifty-four semi-structured interviews were conducted with participants and analysed utilizing a qualitative framework approach. Care plans and care planning were characterized by a failure to meet the complexity of mental health needs, and care planning processes were seen to prioritize organizational agendas and risk prevention which distanced care planning from the everyday lives of service users. Care planning is recognized, embedded and well established in the practices of mental health professionals and service users. However, it is considered too superficial and mainly irrelevant to users for managing mental health in their everyday lives. Those responsible for the planning and delivery of mental health services should consider ways to increase the relevance of care planning to the everyday lives of service users including separating risk from holistic needs assessment, using support aids and utilizing a peer workforce in this regard. © 2017 The Authors Health Expectations published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Perception of Suicide Risk in Mental Health Professionals.

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Tim M Gale

Full Text Available This study employed an independent-groups design (4 conditions to investigate possible biases in the suicide risk perception of mental health professionals. Four hundred participants comprising doctors, nurses and social workers viewed a vignette describing a fictitious patient with a long-term mental illness. The case was presented as being drawn from a sample of twenty similar clinical case reports, of which 10 were associated with an outcome of suicide. The participant tasks were (i to decide whether the presented vignette was one of those cases or not, and (ii to provide an assessment of confidence in that decision. The 4 conditions were used to investigate whether the presence of an associated face, and the nature of the emotional state expressed by that face, affected the response profile. In fact, there were no significant differences between conditions, but there was a significant bias across all conditions towards associating the vignette with suicide, despite the base rate being pre-determined at 50%. The bias was more pronounced in doctors and in male respondents. Moreover, many participants indicated substantial confidence in their decisions. The results are discussed in terms of availability bias and over-confidence bias.

Perceived barriers on mental health services by the family of patients with mental illness

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Rr Dian Tristiana

2018-01-01

Conclusion: Families whose members suffered from mental illness still experienced barriers in relation to mental health services even with universal health coverage. Improved mental health services are related to the health insurance coverage, affordability, availability of mental health services and stigma reduction in the health professionals and wide community.

Role of the police in linking individuals experiencing mental health crises with mental health services

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van den Brink, Rob H. S.; Broer, Jan; Tholen, Alfons J.; Winthorst, Wim H.; Visser, Ellen; Wiersma, Durk

2012-01-01

Background: The police are considered frontline professionals in managing individuals experiencing mental health crises. This study examines the extent to which these individuals are disconnected from mental health services, and whether the police response has an influence on re-establishing

Effects of Yoga on Stress, Stress Adaption, and Heart Rate Variability Among Mental Health Professionals--A Randomized Controlled Trial.

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Lin, Shu-Ling; Huang, Ching-Ya; Shiu, Shau-Ping; Yeh, Shu-Hui

2015-08-01

Mental health professionals experiencing work-related stress may experience burn out, leading to a negative impact on their organization and patients. The aim of this study was to examine the effects of yoga classes on work-related stress, stress adaptation, and autonomic nerve activity among mental health professionals. A randomized controlled trial was used, which compared the outcomes between the experimental (e.g., yoga program) and the control groups (e.g., no yoga exercise) for 12 weeks. Work-related stress and stress adaptation were assessed before and after the program. Heart rate variability (HRV) was measured at baseline, midpoint through the weekly yoga classes (6 weeks), and postintervention (after 12 weeks of yoga classes). The results showed that the mental health professionals in the yoga group experienced a significant reduction in work-related stress (t = -6.225, p control group revealed no significant changes. Comparing the mean differences in pre- and posttest scores between yoga and control groups, we found the yoga group significantly decreased work-related stress (t = -3.216, p = .002), but there was no significant change in stress adaptation (p = .084). While controlling for the pretest scores of work-related stress, participants in yoga, but not the control group, revealed a significant increase in autonomic nerve activity at midpoint (6 weeks) test (t = -2.799, p = .007), and at posttest (12 weeks; t = -2.099, p = .040). Because mental health professionals experienced a reduction in work-related stress and an increase in autonomic nerve activity in a weekly yoga program for 12 weeks, clinicians, administrators, and educators should offer yoga classes as a strategy to help health professionals reduce their work-related stress and balance autonomic nerve activities. © 2015 The Authors. Worldviews on Evidence-Based Nursing published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of Society for Worldviews on Evidence-Based Nursing.

Dangerousness and mental health policy.

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Hewitt, J L

2008-04-01

Mental health policy development in the UK has become increasingly dominated by the assumed need to prevent violence and alleviate public concerns about the dangers of the mentally ill living in the community. Risk management has become the expected focus of contemporary mental health services, and responsibility has increasingly been devolved to individual service professionals when systems fail to prevent violence. This paper analyses the development of mental health legislation and its impact on services users and mental health professionals at the micro level of service delivery. Historical precedence, media influence and public opinion are explored, and the reification of risk is questioned in practical and ethical terms. The government's newest proposals for compulsory treatment in the community are discussed in terms of practical efficacy and therapeutic impact. Dangerousness is far from being an objectively observable phenomenon arising from clinical pathology, but is a formulation of what is partially knowable through social analysis and unknowable by virtue of its situation in individual psychic motivation. Risk assessment can therefore never be completely accurate, and the solution of a 'better safe than sorry' approach to mental health policy is ethically and pragmatically flawed.

Improving work functioning and mental health of health care employees using an e-mental health approach to workers' health surveillance: pretest-posttest study

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Ketelaar, Sarah M.; Nieuwenhuijsen, Karen; Bolier, Linda; Smeets, Odile; Sluiter, Judith K.

2014-01-01

Mental health complaints are quite common in health care employees and can have adverse effects on work functioning. The aim of this study was to evaluate an e-mental health (EMH) approach to workers' health surveillance (WHS) for nurses and allied health professionals. Using the waiting-list group

Individual and Work-Related Factors Influencing Burnout of Mental Health Professionals: A Meta-Analysis

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Lim, Nayoung; Kim, Eun Kyoung; Kim, Hyunjung; Yang, Eunjoo; Lee, Sang Min

2010-01-01

The current study identifies and assesses individual and work-related factors as correlates of burnout among mental health professionals. Results of a meta-analysis indicate that age and work setting variables are the most significant indicators of emotional exhaustion and depersonalization. In terms of level of personal accomplishment, the age…

Consumer attitudes towards evidence based mental health services among American mental health consumers.

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Teh, Lisa B; Hayashi, Kentaro; Latner, Janet; Mueller, Charles W

2016-10-01

The Consumer Attitudes towards Evidence Based Services (CAEBS) scale is a 29-item questionnaire designed to assess public views on the role of science in helping to guide mental health treatment. The aim of the current study was to assess the Factor structure the CAEBS in an online sample of adults seeking information about mental health services. The CAEBS was administered to a nationwide sample of participants from websites offering classified advertisements for mental health related study participation (n = 312). An Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) suggested four factors based on 26 of the items: Beliefs Regarding Therapists' Practices, Attitudes about Mental Health Policy, Negative Personal-Level Attitudes toward EBPs, and Negative Societal-Level Attitudes towards EBPs. In order to increase consumer empowerment within the mental health-care system and develop policies supporting EBP usage, mental health professionals need to increase communication with the public to address these concerns and leverage positive attitudes. © 2016 Australian College of Mental Health Nurses Inc.

Attitudes toward suicidal behaviour among professionals at mental health outpatient clinics in Stavropol, Russia and Oslo, Norway

OpenAIRE

Norheim, Astrid Berge; Grimholt, Tine K.; Loskutova, Ekaterina; Ekeberg, Oivind

2016-01-01

Background Attitudes toward suicidal behaviour can be essential regarding whether patients seek or are offered help. Patients with suicidal behaviour are increasingly treated by mental health outpatient clinics. Our aim was to study attitudes among professionals at outpatient clinics in Stavropol, Russia and Oslo, Norway. Methods Three hundred and forty-eight (82?%) professionals anonymously completed a questionnaire about attitudes. Professionals at outpatient clinics in Stavropol (n?=?119; ...

An evaluation of communication barriers and facilitators at the time of a mental health diagnosis: a survey of health professional practices.

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Milton, A C; Mullan, B; MacCann, C; Hunt, C

2017-01-24

To examine health professionals' views and practices relating to the specific barriers to communication that arise at the time of mental health diagnosis, and the strategies used to support individuals throughout this process. An online survey of the beliefs and practices of 131 mental health clinicians working in different clinical settings across Australia was conducted. Exploratory factor analysis of the items relating to barriers to communication resulted in three latent factors ('stigma, diagnosis and risk'; 'service structure'; and 'individual circumstances' such as the person receiving the diagnosis being young, having a culturally and linguistically diverse background or being unwell at the time of conversation). Using linear regression it was found that variance in 'stigma, diagnosis and risk' was significantly explained by whether participating clinicians had medical training, their experience working with serious mental health problems, their confidence handling distress and attitude towards diagnosis. Variance in 'individual circumstances' was significantly explained by participating clinicians' confidence handling distress. The most frequently used strategies to support diagnostic discussions centred on the health professionals' communication skills, gauging the individual's perception of their circumstances, responding with empathy, following-up after discussion, addressing stigma concerns, using collaborative practice and setting up for the conversation. Three main areas for health professionals to reflect on, plan for and ultimately address when discussing news with the individual concerned emerged ('stigma, diagnosis and risk'; 'service structure'; and 'individual circumstances'). Variations in practice indicate that practitioners should be cognisant of their own beliefs and background and how this impacts their communication practice.

Mental health promotion in comprehensive schools.

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Onnela, A M; Vuokila-Oikkonen, P; Hurtig, T; Ebeling, H

2014-09-01

The purpose of this paper is to describe a participatory action research process on the development of a professional practice model of mental health nurses in mental health promotion in a comprehensive school environment in the city of Oulu, Finland. The developed model is a new method of mental health promotion for mental health nurses working in comprehensive schools. The professional practice model has been developed in workshops together with school staff, interest groups, parents and students. Information gathered from the workshops was analysed using action research methods. Mental health promotion interventions are delivered at three levels: universal, which is an intervention that affects the whole school or community; selective, which is an intervention focusing on a certain group of students; and indicated, which is an individually focused intervention. All interventions are delivered within the school setting, which is a universal setting for all school-aged children. The interventions share the goal of promoting mental health. The purposes of the interventions are enhancing protective factors, reducing risk factors relating to mental health problems and early identification of mental health problems as well as rapid delivery of support or referral to specialized services. The common effect of the interventions on all levels is the increase in the experience of positive mental health. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Working atmosphere, job satisfaction and individual characteristics of community mental health professionals in integrated care.

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Goetz, Katja; Kleine-Budde, Katja; Bramesfeld, Anke; Stegbauer, Constance

2018-03-01

Working requirements of community mental healthcare professionals in integrated care are complex. There is a lack of research concerning the relation of job satisfaction, working atmosphere and individual characteristics. For the current study, a survey evaluating job satisfaction and working atmosphere of mental healthcare professionals in integrated care was performed. About 321 community mental healthcare professionals were included in the survey; the response rate was 59.5%. The professional background of community mental healthcare professionals included nursing, social work and psychology. Community mental healthcare professionals reported the highest satisfaction with colleagues and the lowest satisfaction with income. Moreover, it could be shown that more responsibility, more recognition and more variety in job tasks lead to an increase of overall job satisfaction. Healthcare for mentally ill patients in the community setting is complex and requires well-structured care with appropriate responsibilities within the team. A co-operative relationship among colleagues as well as clearly defined responsibilities seem to be the key for the job satisfaction of community mental healthcare professionals in integrated care. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Patterns of Mental Health Care Utilization Among Sexual Orientation Minority Groups.

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Platt, Lisa F; Wolf, Julia Kay; Scheitle, Christopher P

2018-01-01

Prior studies of the utilization of mental health professionals by sexual minority populations have relied on data that are now dated or not nationally representative. These studies have also provided mixed findings regarding gender differences in the utilization of mental health professionals among sexual minority individuals. Using data from the 2013-2015 National Health Interview Surveys, this study investigates (1) how sexual minority individuals compare to heterosexual participants in their utilization of mental health professionals; and (2) gender differences in that utilization. The results indicate sexual minority individuals utilize mental health care professionals at higher rates than heterosexual individuals even after controlling for measures of mental health and other demographic characteristics; this is true for both men and women. However, gender moderates the sexual minority effect on utilization rates. Sexual minority men utilize mental health professionals at a high rate, such that their utilization rates are similar to sexual minority women, contrary to the gender gap seen among heterosexuals.

Mental health nurses' and allied health professionals' perceptions of the role of the Occupational Health Service in the management of work-related stress: how do they self-care?

Science.gov (United States)

Gibb, J; Cameron, I M; Hamilton, R; Murphy, E; Naji, S

2010-11-01

Higher rates of stress-related sickness are found in health care professionals when compared with other sectors. The annual direct cost of absence to the National Health Service is £1.7 billion. Increased clinical demand, long hours, low staffing and a lack of support from colleagues and management are contributing to absenteeism, somatic complaints and mental health problems. Mental health work is inherently stressful and levels of work stress experienced by mental health nurses are especially high. The study investigated mental health nurses' and allied health professionals' (AHPs) awareness and knowledge of the service provided by the Occupational Health Service (OHS) and identified work-related stress and self-care strategies within these two groups. Nurses and AHP staff employed in mental health services in a Scottish healthboard area were invited to complete an anonymous questionnaire. Results demonstrated that staff found their contact with the OHS to be a positive experience. They considered direct patient care to be less stressful than the organizational constraints they work under, and they reported a lack of support from both their peer groups and management. There should be recognition of the increased stress that hospital-based nurses and AHPs experience. These areas should be scrutinized and reviewed further to support staff within these environments in accordance with organizational objectives. © 2010 Blackwell Publishing.

[Psychosocial rehabilitation: perceptions of the mental health staff].

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Jorge, Maria Salete Bessa; Randemark, Norma Faustino Rocha; Queiroz, Maria Veraci Oliveira; Ruiz, Erasmo Miessa

2006-01-01

This study is inserted in assumptions of research's analysis qualitative which objective was to interpretate the Mental Health professional's perspectives about psychosocial rehabilitation of mental disorder's porter to know as them proceed it in their professional practice. Data collection came up by the application of semi-structured interviews to 8 Mental Health professionals that work in the Center of Psychosocial Attention. After the readings, notes of pieces of talk, subcategories and categories were composed after the interpretation based on the literature. The results pointed that psychosocial rehabilitation is a process which implementation and still needs effective overcome of traditional paradigma of health mental disease, that form conception and therapeutic practices and requires trust of professionals about the users' capacity of live as citizen in the most variable segments of social life.

Associated and Mediating Variables Related to Job Satisfaction among Professionals from Mental Health Teams.

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Fleury, Marie-Josée; Grenier, Guy; Bamvita, Jean-Marie; Chiocchio, François

2018-06-01

Using a structural analysis, this study examines the relationship between job satisfaction among 315 mental health professionals from the province of Quebec (Canada) and a wide range of variables related to provider characteristics, team characteristics, processes, and emergent states, and organizational culture. We used the Job Satisfaction Survey to assess job satisfaction. Our conceptual framework integrated numerous independent variables adapted from the input-mediator-output-input (IMOI) model and the Integrated Team Effectiveness Model (ITEM). The structural equation model predicted 47% of the variance of job satisfaction. Job satisfaction was associated with eight variables: strong team support, participation in the decision-making process, closer collaboration, fewer conflicts among team members, modest knowledge production (team processes), firm affective commitment, multifocal identification (emergent states) and belonging to the nursing profession (provider characteristics). Team climate had an impact on six job satisfaction variables (team support, knowledge production, conflicts, affective commitment, collaboration, and multifocal identification). Results show that team processes and emergent states were mediators between job satisfaction and team climate. To increase job satisfaction among professionals, health managers need to pursue strategies that foster a positive climate within mental health teams.

The maze and the minotaur: mental health in primary health care.

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Hirdes, Alice; Scarparo, Helena Beatriz Kochenborger

2015-02-01

The article aims to discuss the issue of integration of mental health in primary care by matrix support in mental health. We point out the main barriers in the use of this work method, as well as the facilitating factors of the matrix support of mental health in primary care. The first are within the scope of epistemological specificities, professional issues and management in the political and ideological dimensions. Among the second, we highlight: the care for people with mental disorders in the territory; the reduction of stigma and discrimination; the development of new skills for professionals in primary care; reduction of costs; simultaneous treatment of physical and mental illness, which often overlap; the possibility of incorporating mental health care in a perspective of extended clinical service using an inter/transdisciplinary approach.

Predictors of burnout among correctional mental health professionals.

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Gallavan, Deanna B; Newman, Jody L

2013-02-01

This study focused on the experience of burnout among a sample of correctional mental health professionals. We examined the relationship of a linear combination of optimism, work family conflict, and attitudes toward prisoners with two dimensions derived from the Maslach Burnout Inventory and the Professional Quality of Life Scale. Initially, three subscales from the Maslach Burnout Inventory and two subscales from the Professional Quality of Life Scale were subjected to principal components analysis with oblimin rotation in order to identify underlying dimensions among the subscales. This procedure resulted in two components accounting for approximately 75% of the variance (r = -.27). The first component was labeled Negative Experience of Work because it seemed to tap the experience of being emotionally spent, detached, and socially avoidant. The second component was labeled Positive Experience of Work and seemed to tap a sense of competence, success, and satisfaction in one's work. Two multiple regression analyses were subsequently conducted, in which Negative Experience of Work and Positive Experience of Work, respectively, were predicted from a linear combination of optimism, work family conflict, and attitudes toward prisoners. In the first analysis, 44% of the variance in Negative Experience of Work was accounted for, with work family conflict and optimism accounting for the most variance. In the second analysis, 24% of the variance in Positive Experience of Work was accounted for, with optimism and attitudes toward prisoners accounting for the most variance.

Acculturation, enculturation, and Asian American college students' mental health and attitudes toward seeking professional psychological help.

Science.gov (United States)

Miller, Matthew J; Yang, Minji; Hui, Kayi; Choi, Na-Yeun; Lim, Robert H

2011-07-01

In the present study, we tested a theoretically and empirically derived partially indirect effects acculturation and enculturation model of Asian American college students' mental health and attitudes toward seeking professional psychological help. Latent variable path analysis with 296 self-identified Asian American college students supported the partially indirect effects model and demonstrated the ways in which behavioral acculturation, behavioral enculturation, values acculturation, values enculturation, and acculturation gap family conflict related to mental health and attitudes toward seeking professional psychological help directly and indirectly through acculturative stress. We also tested a generational status moderator hypothesis to determine whether differences in model-implied relationships emerged across U.S.- (n = 185) and foreign-born (n = 107) participants. Consistent with this hypothesis, statistically significant differences in structural coefficients emerged across generational status. Limitations, future directions for research, and counseling implications are discussed.

Mental disorders among health workers in Brazil

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Berenice Scaletzky Knuth

2015-08-01

Full Text Available AbstractThe scope of this article is to deter mine the prevalence of common mental disorders (CMD and Depression among Community Health Agents (CHA and employees of Psychosocial Care Centers (CAPS. It is a cross-sectional descriptive study involving the target population of Community Health Workers and Psychosocial Care Center workers, linked to the Municipal Health Department of Pelotas in the Brazilian State of Rio Grande do Sul. The presence of common mental disorders was considered when the Self Report Questionnaire (SRQ was > 7 and the occurrence of depression when BDI > 12. In total, 257 professionals participated in the study. Among mental health professionals (n = 119, the prevalence of CMDs was 25.2% and depression was 23.5%, while the prevalence of CMDs was 48.6% and depression was 29% among CHA (n = 138. The ratio of CMDs between the two groups of professionals was statistically different (p < 0.001. In this study, it was observed that the CAPS professionals are more adapted to work issues, with less perceived health problems arising from work and with a lower prevalence of mental disorders compared to CHA.

Unethical Practice as Perceived by Mental Health Professionals.

Science.gov (United States)

Golden, Larry; O'Malley, Patrick

1979-01-01

Data indicate that practice by unqualified personnel, financial exploitation, and sexual exploitation are the most frequent types of misconduct by mental health practitioners. Solutions to these problems lie in the areas of regulation, education of counselors-in-training, and education of consumers of mental health services. (Author)

Human Trafficking: A Review for Mental Health Professionals

Science.gov (United States)

Yakushko, Oksana

2009-01-01

This article provides a review of current research on human trafficking for mental health practitioners and scholars. In addition to an overview of definitions, causes and processes of trafficking, the article highlights mental health consequences of trafficking along with suggestions for treatment of survivors. Directions for counseling services,…

Mental Health Services in Southern Sudan

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Siegal_D

Editorial: Mental Health Services in Southern Sudan – a. Vision for the Future. Major mental illness exists all over the world with a remarkably .... minus one or both parents. ... There he taught and inspired child health professionals from all over.

Cultural stereotypes of women from South Asian communities: mental health care professionals' explanations for patterns of suicide and depression.

Science.gov (United States)

Burr, J

2002-09-01

Low rates of treated depression and high rates of suicide in women from some South Asian communities are evident in epidemiological studies in the UK. It is argued here that explanations for these apparent differences are likely to be located in stereotypes of repressive South Asian cultures. This small scale study, utilising focus groups and individual interviews, sought to explore the construction of cultural stereotypes within mental health discourse with specific reference to stereotypes of women from South Asian communities. Mental health carers from a UK inner city area of relatively high social deprivation were targeted. Focus groups were conducted with a range of mental health care professionals who worked in both inpatient and outpatient mental health care services. In addition, individual interviews were conducted with consultant psychiatrists and General Practitioners. Extensive reference is made in this paper to the content of focus groups and interviews and how health carer's knowledge about and experience of South Asian cultures and caring for women from these communities was contextualised. Mental health care professionals constructed cultural difference in terms of fixed and immutable categories which operated to inferiorise Britain's South Asian communities. It is argued that their knowledge is constructed upon stereotypes of western culture as superior to a construction of eastern cultures as repressive, patriarchal and inferior to a western cultural ideal. Ultimately, it is argued that these stereotypes become incorporated as 'fact' and have the potential to misdirect diagnosis and therefore, also misdirect treatment pathways.

Strategies to address mental health through schools with examples from China.

Science.gov (United States)

Whitman, Cheryl Vince; Aldinger, Carmen; Zhang, Xin-Wei; Magner, Elizabeth

2008-06-01

The World Health Organization estimates that approximately one in five young people under the age of 18 experiences some form of developmental, emotional or behavioural problem, and one in eight experiences a mental disorder. Because research shows that half of adult mental disorders begin before the age of 14 and that early intervention can prevent and reduce more serious consequences later in life, it is critical to expand the role of mental health professionals with schools worldwide. Schools have the potential to affect the mental health of millions of young people, as well as those who work in schools. Research indicates that programmes promoting mental health are among the most effective of health promoting school efforts. This paper discusses the health promoting schools framework, reviews effective strategies for promoting mental health in schools, and provides examples from Zhejiang Province, China. This article also discusses the key roles that mental health professionals can play in promoting mental health through schools. As advocates, policy makers, researchers and teachers, mental health professionals can bridge the sectors of education, mental health and public health. Developing common frameworks and interdisciplinary training will create a foundation of shared understanding to achieve this goal.

Mental Health Ethnography

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ringer, Agnes

2017-01-01

hospitalized, but to get inside the contemporary psychiatric institution and to participate in the social world of patients and professionals, I had to experiment with different ethnographic approaches. Ethnographies of mental health have become increasingly rare, and much research on language in psychiatric...... institutions is done by interview research. My study involved observing and participating in the day-to-day life at two mental health facilities: an outpatient clinic and an inpatient closed ward. The case study provides an account of some of the specific methodological problems and unanticipated events...... that emerged in the course of the study. It discusses the particular challenges involved in negotiating access in a hierarchical and conflict-ridden setting with tangible power differences between professionals and patients. I pay particular attention to the positions that became available to the researcher...

Sources of information about mental health and links to help seeking: findings from the 2007 Australian National Survey of Mental Health and Wellbeing.

Science.gov (United States)

Reavley, Nicola J; Cvetkovski, Stefan; Jorm, Anthony F

2011-12-01

The aim of this paper is to provide an analysis of data from the National Survey of Mental Health and Wellbeing (NSMHWB) on the factors associated with the use of sources of information on mental health. A further aim is to examine the associations between the use of information sources and professional help-seeking. Data from the 2007 NSMHWB were used. The survey sample comprised 8,841 residents of private dwellings across Australia aged 16-85 years. Television was the most common source of information about mental health issues in the previous 12 months (accessed by 20.5% of respondents) followed by pamphlets and brochures (accessed by 15.6% of respondents). Having an anxiety or affective disorder, female gender, higher levels of education and having a family member with a mental health problem was associated with the seeking of information on mental health issues from the internet, non-fiction books and brochures/pamphlets. Accessing information on the internet was associated with increased use of any mental health services, GPs and mental health professionals (MHPs). The results suggest that promotion of internet resources may offer the opportunity to increase help seeking for mental health problems and may offer the opportunity to engage those least likely to seek professional help, notably young males.

Confusion, Crisis, and Opportunity: Professional School Counselors' Role in Responding to Student Mental Health Issues

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Walley, Cynthia; Grothaus, Tim; Craigen, Laurie

2009-01-01

With the array of challenges facing today's youth, school counselors are in a unique position to recognize and respond to the diverse mental health needs of students. After a brief examination of the challenges and some promising responses, this article will consider the use of advocacy, collaboration, and professional development to aid school…

Challenges in mental health nursing: current opinion

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sabella D

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Donna Sabella, Theresa Fay-Hillier College of Nursing and Health Professions, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, USA Abstract: The current mental health care system in the US continues to struggle with providing adequate care and services to all that require it due to limited resources, biases from both other professions and the public, and the complexities of treatment of many of those individuals or populations that suffer from mental illness. Mental health nurses, also referred to as psychiatric nurses, are impacted by those same biases, limited resources, and complexities in their role. This paper provides a brief history of mental health nursing and a discussion of the current challenges faced within the profession. It will also include how the public's perception of both those who have mental illness and those who treat it is based on the sensationalism of those who are violent, and misunderstanding of current treatments. It is imperative that mental health nurses continue to define and educate other health care professionals as well as the general public of the role of the mental health nurse and those who suffer from mental illness. Unfortunately, some of the same bias that was present in the 1930s remains today, but perhaps with perseverance and education it will not continue into the future. Keywords: mental health, psychiatric nursing, pre- licensure, post-licensure challenges, professional obstacles, public perception

Modelling intentions to provide smoking cessation support among mental health professionals in the Netherlands.

Science.gov (United States)

Blankers, Matthijs; Buisman, Renate; Hopman, Petra; van Gool, Ronald; van Laar, Margriet

2016-01-01

Tobacco use prevalence is elevated among people with mental illnesses, leading to elevated rates of premature smoking-related mortality. Opportunities to encourage smoking cessation among them are currently underused by mental health professionals. In this paper, we aim to explore mechanisms to invigorate professionals' intentions to help patients stop smoking. Data stem from a recent staff survey on the provision of smoking cessation support to patients with mental illnesses in the Netherlands. Items and underlying constructs were based on the theory of planned behaviour and literature on habitual behaviour. Data were weighted and only data from staff members with regular patient contact (n = 506) were included. Descriptive statistics of the survey items are presented and in a second step using structural equation modelling (SEM), we regressed the latent variables attitudes, subjective norms (SN), perceived behavioural control (PBC), past cessation support behaviour (PB) and current smoking behaviour on intentions to provide support. In optimisation steps, models comprising a subset of this initial model were evaluated. A sample of 506 mental health workers who had direct contact with patients completed the survey. The majority of them were females (70.0 %), respondents had an average age of 42.5 years (SD = 12.0). Seventy-five percent had at least a BSc educational background. Of the respondents, 76 % indicated that patients should be encouraged more to quit smoking. Respondents were supportive to train their direct colleagues to provide cessation support more often (71 %) and also supported the involvement of mental health care facilities in providing cessation support to patients (69 %). The majority of the respondents feels capable to provide cessation support (66 %). Two thirds of the respondents wants to provide support, however only a minority (35 %) intends to actually do so during the coming year. Next, using SEM an acceptable fit was

Recognizing the Signs: What School Mental Health Professionals Can Do about Suicide and Self-Injury

Science.gov (United States)

Collins, Christina

2009-01-01

In the everyday bustle of high school life, a student can have wounds--physical or emotional--that often go unnoticed. A lot of issues affect adolescents of all backgrounds. Two particularly serious issues among U.S. high school students are suicide and self-injury. This article discusses what school mental health professionals can do about…

Acculturation, Enculturation, and Asian American College Students' Mental Health and Attitudes toward Seeking Professional Psychological Help

Science.gov (United States)

Miller, Matthew J.; Yang, Minji; Hui, Kayi; Choi, Na-Yeun; Lim, Robert H.

2011-01-01

In the present study, we tested a theoretically and empirically derived partially indirect effects acculturation and enculturation model of Asian American college students' mental health and attitudes toward seeking professional psychological help. Latent variable path analysis with 296 self-identified Asian American college students supported the…

Differential stigmatizing attitudes of healthcare professionals towards psychiatry and patients with mental health problems : Something to worry about? A pilot study

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Gras, L.M.; Swart, M.; Slooff, C.; van Weeghel, J.; Knegtering, H.; Castelein, S.

2015-01-01

Purpose This study compares stigmatizing attitudes of different healthcare professionals towards psychiatry and patients with mental health problems. Methods The Mental Illness Clinicians Attitude (MICA) questionnaire is used to assess stigmatizing attitudes in three groups: general practitioners

Nurse competencies for health promotion in the mental health context

OpenAIRE

Aguiar,Maria Isis Freire de; Lima,Hélder de Pádua; Braga,Violante Augusta Batista; Aquino,Priscila de Souza; Pinheiro,Ana Karina Bezerra; Ximenes,Lorena Barbosa

2012-01-01

OBJECTIVE: To identify the competencies of nurses to health promotion in psychiatric and mental health context. METHODS: Integrative review of literature performed through search using the keywords: "mental health" and "professional competence", in the databases SciELO, LILACS, CINAHL, PubMed, Scopus and Cochrane, in the period of 2003 to 2011. 215 studies were identified, of these, six followed the inclusion criteria. RESULTS: Based on the National Panel for Psychiatric Mental Health NP Comp...

Review of mental-health-related stigma in Japan.

Science.gov (United States)

Ando, Shuntaro; Yamaguchi, Sosei; Aoki, Yuta; Thornicroft, Graham

2013-11-01

The aim of this study is to understand the nature and characteristics of mental-health-related stigma among Japanese people. We searched relevant studies in English or Japanese published since 2001 using MEDLINE and PsycINFO, and found 19 studies that examined mental-health-related stigma in Japan. Regarding knowledge about mental illness, reviewed studies showed that in the Japanese general population, few people think that people can recover from mental disorders. Psychosocial factors, including weakness of personality, are often considered the cause of mental illness, rather than biological factors. In addition, the majority of the general public in Japan keep a greater social distance from individuals with mental illness, especially in close personal relationships. Schizophrenia is more stigmatized than depression, and its severity increases the stigmatizing attitude toward mental illness. The literature also showed an association between more direct social contact between health professionals and individuals with mental illness and less stigmatization by these professionals. Less stigmatization by mental health professionals may be associated with accumulation of clinical experience and daily contact with people who have mental illness. Stigmatizing attitudes in Japan are stronger than in Taiwan or Australia, possibly due to institutionalism, lack of national campaigns to tackle stigma, and/or society's valuing of conformity in Japan. Although educational programs appear to be effective in reducing mental-health-related stigma, future programs in Japan need to address problems regarding institutionalism and offer direct social contact with people with mental illness. © 2013 The Authors. Psychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences © 2013 Japanese Society of Psychiatry and Neurology.

Differential stigmatizing attitudes of healthcare professionals towards psychiatry and patients with mental health problems : something to worry about? A pilot study

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Gras, Laura M.; Swart, Marte; Slooff, Cees J.; van Weeghel, Jaap; Knegtering, Henderikus; Castelein, Stynke

This study compares stigmatizing attitudes of different healthcare professionals towards psychiatry and patients with mental health problems. The Mental Illness Clinicians Attitude (MICA) questionnaire is used to assess stigmatizing attitudes in three groups: general practitioners (GPs, n = 55),

Developing an online learning community for mental health professionals and service users: a discursive analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Smithson, Janet; Jones, Ray B; Ashurst, Emily

2012-03-21

There is increasing interest in online collaborative learning tools in health education, to reduce costs, and to offer alternative communication opportunities. Patients and students often have extensive experience of using the Internet for health information and support, and many health organisations are increasingly trying out online tools, while many healthcare professionals are unused to, and have reservations about, online interaction. We ran three week-long collaborative learning courses, in which 19 mental health professionals (MHPs) and 12 mental health service users (MHSUs) participated. Data were analysed using a discursive approach to consider the ways in which participants interacted, and how this contributed to the goal of online learning about using Internet technologies for mental health practice. MHSUs and MHPs were able to discuss issues together, listening to the views of the other stakeholders. Discussions on synchronous format encouraged participation by service users while the MHPs showed a preference for an asynchronous format with longer, reasoned postings. Although participants regularly drew on their MHP or MHSU status in discussions, and participants typically drew on either a medical expert discourse or a "lived experience" discourse, there was a blurred boundary as participants shifted between these positions. The anonymous format was successful in that it produced a "co-constructed asymmetry" which permitted the MHPs and MHSUs to discuss issues online, listening to the views of other stakeholders. Although anonymity was essential for this course to 'work' at all, the recourse to expert or lay discourses demonstrates that it did not eliminate the hierarchies between teacher and learner, or MHP and MHSU. The mix of synchronous and asynchronous formats helped MHSUs to contribute. Moderators might best facilitate service user experience by responding within an experiential discourse rather than an academic one.

Developing an online learning community for mental health professionals and service users: a discursive analysis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Smithson Janet

2012-03-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background There is increasing interest in online collaborative learning tools in health education, to reduce costs, and to offer alternative communication opportunities. Patients and students often have extensive experience of using the Internet for health information and support, and many health organisations are increasingly trying out online tools, while many healthcare professionals are unused to, and have reservations about, online interaction. Methods We ran three week-long collaborative learning courses, in which 19 mental health professionals (MHPs and 12 mental health service users (MHSUs participated. Data were analysed using a discursive approach to consider the ways in which participants interacted, and how this contributed to the goal of online learning about using Internet technologies for mental health practice. Results MHSUs and MHPs were able to discuss issues together, listening to the views of the other stakeholders. Discussions on synchronous format encouraged participation by service users while the MHPs showed a preference for an asynchronous format with longer, reasoned postings. Although participants regularly drew on their MHP or MHSU status in discussions, and participants typically drew on either a medical expert discourse or a "lived experience" discourse, there was a blurred boundary as participants shifted between these positions. Conclusions The anonymous format was successful in that it produced a "co-constructed asymmetry" which permitted the MHPs and MHSUs to discuss issues online, listening to the views of other stakeholders. Although anonymity was essential for this course to 'work' at all, the recourse to expert or lay discourses demonstrates that it did not eliminate the hierarchies between teacher and learner, or MHP and MHSU. The mix of synchronous and asynchronous formats helped MHSUs to contribute. Moderators might best facilitate service user experience by responding within an experiential

Mental health academics in rural and remote Australia.

Science.gov (United States)

Pierce, David; Little, Fiona; Bennett-Levy, James; Isaacs, Anton N; Bridgman, Heather; Lutkin, Sarah J; Carey, Timothy A; Schlicht, Kate G; McCabe-Gusta, Zita P; Martin, Elizabeth; Martinez, Lee A

2016-01-01

The significant impact of mental ill health in rural and remote Australia has been well documented. Included among innovative approaches undertaken to address this issue has been the Mental Health Academic (MHA) project, established in 2007. Funded by the Australian Government (Department of Health), this project was established as a component of the University Departments of Rural Health (UDRH) program. All 11 UDRHs appointed an MHA. Although widely geographically dispersed, the MHAs have collaborated in various ways. The MHA project encompasses a range of activities addressing four key performance indicators. These activities, undertaken in rural and remote Australia, aimed to increase access to mental health services, promote awareness of mental health issues, support students undertaking mental health training and improve health professionals' capacity to recognise and address mental health issues. MHAs were strategically placed within the UDRHs across the country, ensuring an established academic base for the MHAs' work was available immediately. Close association with each local rural community was recognised as important. For most MHAs this was facilitated by having an established clinical role in their local community and actively engaging with the community in which they worked. In common with other rural health initiatives, some difficulties were experienced in the recruitment of suitable MHAs, especially in more remote locations. The genesis of this article was a national meeting of the MHAs in 2014, to identify and map the different types of activities MHAs had undertaken in their regions. These activities were analysed and categorised by the MHAs. These categories have been used as a guiding framework for this article. The challenge to increase community access to mental health services was addressed by (i) initiatives to address specific access barriers, (ii) supporting recruitment and retention of rural mental health staff, (iii) developing the

Abstract: Workplace Setting of Mental Health Nursing Program ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Background: The department of Mental Health Nursing (MHN) at the University of Rwanda was founded in 1998.Until that time, Rwanda had faced a huge shortage of mental health professionals; specifically, there were 1 psychiatrist, 3 mental health nurses and very few clinical psychologists (less than 5) in the country.

Women's mental health during pregnancy: A participatory qualitative study.

Science.gov (United States)

Franks, Wendy L M; Crozier, Kenda E; Penhale, Bridget L M

2017-08-01

British public health and academic policy and guidance promotes service user involvement in health care and research, however collaborative research remains underrepresented in literature relating to pregnant women's mental health. The aim of this participatory research was to explore mothers' and professionals' perspectives on the factors that influence pregnant women's mental health. This qualitative research was undertaken in England with the involvement of three community members who had firsthand experience of mental health problems during pregnancy. All members of the team were involved in study design, recruitment, data generation and different stages of thematic analysis. Data were transcribed for individual and group discussions with 17 women who self-identified as experiencing mental health problems during pregnancy and 15 professionals who work with this group. Means of establishing trustworthiness included triangulation, researcher reflexivity, peer debriefing and comprehensive data analysis. Significant areas of commonality were identified between mothers' and professionals' perspectives on factors that undermine women's mental health during pregnancy and what is needed to support women's mental health. Analysis of data is provided with particular reference to contexts of relational, systemic and ecological conditions in women's lives. Women's mental health is predominantly undermined or supported by relational, experiential and material factors. The local context of socio-economic deprivation is a significant influence on women's mental health and service requirements. Copyright © 2016 Australian College of Midwives. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Improving work functioning and mental health of health care employees using an e-mental health approach to workers' health surveillance: pretest-posttest study.

Science.gov (United States)

Ketelaar, Sarah M; Nieuwenhuijsen, Karen; Bolier, Linda; Smeets, Odile; Sluiter, Judith K

2014-12-01

Mental health complaints are quite common in health care employees and can have adverse effects on work functioning. The aim of this study was to evaluate an e-mental health (EMH) approach to workers' health surveillance (WHS) for nurses and allied health professionals. Using the waiting-list group of a previous randomized controlled trial with high dropout and low compliance to the intervention, we studied the pre- and posteffects of the EMH approach in a larger group of participants. We applied a pretest-posttest study design. The WHS consisted of online screening on impaired work functioning and mental health followed by online automatically generated personalized feedback, online tailored advice, and access to self-help EMH interventions. The effects on work functioning, stress, and work-related fatigue after 3 months were analyzed using paired t tests and effect sizes. One hundred and twenty-eight nurses and allied health professionals participated at pretest as well as posttest. Significant improvements were found on work functioning (p = 0.01) and work-related fatigue (p Work functioning had relevantly improved in 30% of participants. A small meaningful effect on stress was found (Cohen d = .23) in the participants who had logged onto an EMH intervention (20%, n = 26). The EMH approach to WHS improves the work functioning and mental health of nurses and allied health professionals. However, because we found small effects and participation in the offered EMH interventions was low, there is ample room for improvement.

Public mental health – using the Mental Health Gap Action Program to put all hands to the pumps

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

RICHARD eUWAKWE

2014-04-01

Full Text Available Mental ill health constitutes a huge portion of the GBD but the majority of people with mental health problems do not receive any treatment, a scenario much worse in developing countries where mental health personnel are in gross short supply. The mhGAP was launched to address this gap, especially by training non-mental health professionals to deliver effective services for selected priority mental health problems. Especially in developing countries, people with mental health problems consult traditional healers either as a first step in the pathway to biomedical mental health care or as the sole mental health service providers. Bridging the gap between mental health needs and available services in developing countries must incorporate traditional healers, who are ubiquitously available, easily accessible and acceptable to the natives. Although there are barriers in forging collaborations between traditional and biomedical mental health care providers, with mutual respect, understanding and adapted training using the mhGAP guide it should be possible to get some traditional healers to understand the core principles of some priority mental health problems identification, treatment and referral.

School-Based Mental Health Professionals' Bullying Assessment Practices: A Call for Evidence-Based Bullying Assessment Guidelines

Science.gov (United States)

Blake, Jamilia; Banks, Courtney S.; Patience, Brenda A.; Lund, Emily M.

2014-01-01

A sample of 483 school-based mental health professionals completed a survey about the training they have received related to conducting bullying assessments in schools, competence in conducting an assessment of bullying, and the bullying assessment methods they used. Results indicate that school counselors were usually informed about incidents of…

Systematic Medical Appraisal, Referral and Treatment (SMART) Mental Health Programme for providing innovative mental health care in rural communities in India

OpenAIRE

Maulik, P. K.; Devarapalli, S.; Kallakuri, S.; Praveen, D.; Jha, V.; Patel, A.

2015-01-01

Background. India has few mental health professionals to treat the large number of people suffering from mental disorders. Rural areas are particularly disadvantaged due to lack of trained health workers. Ways to improve care could be by training village health workers in basic mental health care, and by using innovative methods of service delivery. The ongoing Systematic Medical Appraisal, Referral and Treatment Mental Health Programme will assess the acceptability, feasibility and prelimina...

Sustained improvements in students' mental health literacy with use of a mental health curriculum in Canadian schools.

Science.gov (United States)

Mcluckie, Alan; Kutcher, Stan; Wei, Yifeng; Weaver, Cynthia

2014-12-31

Enhancement of mental health literacy for youth is a focus of increasing interest for mental health professionals and educators alike. Schools are an ideal site for addressing mental health literacy in young people. Currently, there is limited evidence regarding the impact of curriculum-based interventions within high school settings. We examined the effect of a high-school mental health curriculum (The Guide) in enhancing mental health literacy in Canadian schools. We conducted a secondary analysis on surveys of students who participated in a classroom mental health course taught by their usual teachers. Evaluation of students' mental health literacy (knowledge/attitudes) was completed before and after classroom implementation and at 2-month follow-up. We used paired-samples t-tests and Cohen's d value to determine the significance and impact of change. There were 265 students who completed all surveys. Students' knowledge significantly improved between pre- and post-tests (p mental health. This is the first study to demonstrate the positive impact of a curriculum-based mental health literacy program in a Canadian high school population.

Positive Mental Health; measurement, relevance and implications

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Lamers, S.M.A.

2012-01-01

The professionalization of psychology yielded many advantages, but also led to a main focus on psychopathology in mental health care. This thesis investigated an additional positive approach to mental health, focusing on positive feelings and life satisfaction (emotional well-being) and optimal

The Asian American family and mental health: implications for child health professionals.

Science.gov (United States)

Jacob, Jeena; Gray, Barbara; Johnson, Ann

2013-01-01

The Asian American community has grown significantly in the United States during recent decades. The culture of their countries of origin as well as the society in which they currently live plays a pivotal role in their reaction to mental health and illness. Mental health issues are increasingly evident in Asian American communities. The need for the delivery of culturally competent health care and mental health services is paramount. A culturally competent framework that includes the use of a cultural competence model for practice can guide the health care provider in the recognition of problems, particularly in the children of Asian American families. Copyright © 2013 National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners. Published by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

Cross-National Analysis of Beliefs and Attitude Toward Mental Illness Among Medical Professionals From Five Countries.

Science.gov (United States)

Stefanovics, Elina; He, Hongbo; Ofori-Atta, Angela; Cavalcanti, Maria Tavares; Rocha Neto, Helio; Makanjuola, Victor; Ighodaro, Adesuwa; Leddy, Meaghan; Rosenheck, Robert

2016-03-01

This quantitative study sought to compare beliefs about the manifestation, causes and treatment of mental illness and attitudes toward people with mental illness among health professionals from five countries: the United States, Brazil, Ghana, Nigeria, and China. A total of 902 health professionals from the five countries were surveyed using a questionnaire addressing attitudes towards people with mental illness and beliefs about the causes of mental illness. Chi-square and analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) were used to compare age and gender of the samples. Confirmatory factor analysis was employed to confirm the structure and fit of the hypothesized model based on data from a previous study that identified four factors: socializing with people with mental illness (socializing), belief that people with mental illness should have normal roles in society (normalizing), non-belief in supernatural causes (witchcraft or curses), and belief in bio-psycho-social causes of mental illness (bio-psycho-social). Analysis of Covariance was used to compare four factor scores across countries adjusting for differences in age and gender. Scores on all four factors were highest among U.S. professionals. The Chinese sample showed lowest score on socializing and normalizing while the Nigerian and Ghanaian samples were lowest on non-belief in supernatural causes of mental illness. Responses from Brazil fell between those of the U.S. and the other countries. Although based on convenience samples of health professional robust differences in attitudes among health professionals between these five countries appear to reflect underlying socio-cultural differences affecting attitudes of professionals with the greater evidence of stigmatized attitudes in developing countries.

Overrepresentation of African American Males in Exclusionary Discipline: The Role of School-Based Mental Health Professionals in Dismantling the School to Prison Pipeline

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jamilia J. Blake

2010-09-01

Full Text Available African American males are at increased risk for experiencing disciplinary practices that exclude them from the school environment. It is believed that African American males’ overrepresentation in the receipt of these practices contributes to their involvement in the criminal justice system as they approach adolescence and enter adulthood. The connection of exclusionary discipline with incarceration rates is termed the School to Prison Pipeline. Although some scholars have identified school-wide initiatives as having potential in curtailing African American males’ overrepresentation in these punitive discipline practices, less discussion has focused on the role of school-based mental health professionals to address this issue. School-based mental health professionals possess a unique set of skills that may assist schools in decreasing African American males’ exposure to exclusionary discipline practices and consequently reducing their risk for adverse outcomes. The purpose of this review is to provide school-based mental health professionals with specific recommendations for reducing this negative educational experience.

Mental health professionals’ attitudes toward patients with PTSD and depression

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Thomas Maier

2015-10-01

Full Text Available Background: To date, mental health professionals’ attitudes toward posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD, compared to other psychiatric disorders such as schizophrenia or depression, have rarely been studied. Objective: We assessed mental health professionals’ attitudes toward patients with PTSD compared to patients suffering from depression. Method: Case vignettes of a patient with either PTSD or depression were presented to two samples of mental health professionals: attendees of a conference on posttraumatic stress (N=226 or of a lecture for psychiatry residents (N=112. Participants subsequently completed a questionnaire that assessed their attitude reactions to the presented case. Results: Participants showed similarly positive attitudes toward depression and PTSD. PTSD elicited a more favorable attitude with regard to prosocial reactions, estimated dependency, attributed responsibility, and interest in the case, particularly in mental health professionals specializing in psychotraumatology. Across diagnoses, higher age and longer professional experience were associated with more positive attitudes toward patients. Conclusions: Mental health professionals’ positive attitudes toward patients with depression and PTSD correlate with their specific knowledge about the disorder, their level of professional training, and their years of professional experience. Limitations: The instruments used, although based on established theoretical concepts in attitude research, were not validated in their present versions.

Challenges in mental health care in the Family Health Strategy

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Consuelo Helena Aires de Freitas

2011-06-01

Full Text Available Objective: To discuss the practice of mental health care performed by healthcare professionals from the Family Health Strategy in Fortaleza-CE, Brazil. Methods: This is a critical and reflective study conducted in six Basic Health Units in Fortaleza-Ce. The study subjects were 12 health workers of the following professions: doctor, nurse, community health agents and technical and/or nursing assistant. Semi-structured interviews, systematic observationand questionnaire were used for data collection. The empirical analysis was based on an understanding of the discourses through critical hermeneutics. Results: It was evident that the mental health services are developed by some health workers in the ESF, such as, matrix support, relational technologies, home visits and community group therapy. However, there is still deficiency in training/coaching by most professionals in primary care, due to anenduring model of pathological or curative health care. Conclusion: Mental health care is still occasionally held by some workers in primary care. However, some progresses are already present as matrix support, relational technologies in health care, home visits andcommunity therapy.

Seeking Professional Help: Etiology Beliefs about Mental Illness across Cultures

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Sylvia Xiaohua; Mak, Winnie W. S.

2008-01-01

In the present study, the authors examined the contributions of cultural beliefs about the etiology of mental illness to the seeking of help from mental health professionals among college students in 4 cultural groups, European Americans, Chinese Americans, Hong Kong Chinese, and Mainland Chinese. Group differences were found in help-seeking…

Mental Health-Related Stigma and Discrimination in Ghana ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Background: Mental health is now attracting increased public health attention from health professionals, policy makers and the general population. However, stigma and discrimination usually have enormous negative impact on the patients and their families. This study reports on stigma and discrimination faced by mental ...

Prevention in Mental Health: Organizational and Ideological Perspectives.

Science.gov (United States)

Walsh, Joseph A.

1982-01-01

Studied 33 community mental health centers to determine what types of organizational variables and ideological factors might affect whether a community health center conducted prevention programs. Results indicated organizational support and ideological support of mental health professionals were critical variables for prevention programs.…

Mental health policy: Options for South Africa

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Y. G. Pillay

1993-03-01

Full Text Available This paper emphasizes the need for mental health professionals to become involved in developing mental health policies in South Africa. In particular, it examines three options that are currently the focus of attention with respect to national health options, i.e. a free market system, a national health service (NHS and a national health insurance system (NHIS. While the paper does not provide support for any one of these options it does attempt to investigate some of the implications of each option for the funding and delivery of mental health care.

Learning processes in the professional development of mental health counselors: knowledge restructuring and illness script formation.

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Strasser, Josef; Gruber, Hans

2015-05-01

An important part of learning processes in the professional development of counselors is the integration of declarative knowledge and professional experience. It was investigated in-how-far mental health counselors at different levels of expertise (experts, intermediates, novices) differ in their availability of experience-based knowledge structures. Participants were prompted with 20 client problems. They had to explain those problems, the explanations were analyzed using think-aloud protocols. The results show that experts' knowledge is organized in script-like structures that integrate declarative knowledge and professional experience and help experts in accessing relevant information about cases. Novices revealed less integrated knowledge structures. It is concluded that knowledge restructuring and illness script formation are crucial parts of the professional learning of counselors.

Evaluation of the Commitment to Living (CTL) curriculum: a 3-hour training for mental health professionals to address suicide risk.

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Pisani, Anthony R; Cross, Wendi F; Watts, Arthur; Conner, Kenneth

2012-01-01

Finding effective and efficient options for training mental health professionals to assess and manage suicide risk is a high priority. To test whether an innovative, brief workshop can improve provider knowledge, confidence, and written risk assessment in a multidisciplinary sample of ambulatory and acute services professionals and trainees. We conducted a pre/post evaluation of a 3 h workshop designed to improve clinical competence in suicide risk assessment by using visual concept mapping, medical records documentation, and site-specific crisis response options. Participants (N = 338 diverse mental health professionals) completed pre- and postworkshop questionnaires measuring their knowledge and confidence. Before and after the workshop, participants completed documentation for a clinical vignette. Trained coders rated the quality of risk assessment formulation before and after training. Participants' knowledge, confidence, and objectively-rated documentation skills improved significantly (p management programs can improve clinicians' knowledge, confidence, and skill.

Improving Work Functioning and Mental Health of Health Care Employees Using an E-Mental Health Approach to Workers' Health Surveillance: Pretest–Posttest Study

OpenAIRE

Sarah M. Ketelaar; Karen Nieuwenhuijsen; Linda Bolier; Odile Smeets; Judith K. Sluiter

2014-01-01

Background: Mental health complaints are quite common in health care employees and can have adverse effects on work functioning. The aim of this study was to evaluate an e-mental health (EMH) approach to workers' health surveillance (WHS) for nurses and allied health professionals. Using the waiting-list group of a previous randomized controlled trial with high dropout and low compliance to the intervention, we studied the pre- and posteffects of the EMH approach in a larger group of particip...

A mixed-method systematic review and meta-analysis of mental health professionals' attitudes toward smoking and smoking cessation among people with mental illnesses.

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Sheals, Kate; Tombor, Ildiko; McNeill, Ann; Shahab, Lion

2016-09-01

People with mental illnesses and substance abuse disorders are important targets for smoking cessation interventions. Mental health professionals (MHPs) are ideally placed to deliver interventions, but their attitudes may prevent this. This systematic review therefore aimed to identify and estimate quantitatively MHPs attitudes towards smoking and main barriers for providing smoking cessation support and to explore these attitudes in-depth through qualitative synthesis. The online databases AMED, EMBASE, Medline, PsychINFO, HMIC and CINAHL were searched in March 2015 using terms relating to three concepts: 'attitudes', 'mental health professionals' and 'smoking cessation'. Quantitative or qualitative studies of any type were included. Proportions of MHPs' attitudes towards smoking and smoking cessation were pooled across studies using random effects meta-analysis. Qualitative findings were evaluated using thematic synthesis. Thirty-eight studies including 16 369 participants were eligible for inclusion. Pooled proportions revealed that 42.2% [95% confidence interval (CI) = 35.7-48.8] of MHPs reported perceived barriers to smoking cessation interventions, 40.5% (95% CI = 30.4-51.0) negative attitudes towards smoking cessation and 45.0% (95% CI = 31.9-58.4) permissive attitudes towards smoking. The most commonly held beliefs were that patients are not interested in quitting (51.4%, 95% CI = 33.4-69.2) and that quitting smoking is too much for patients to take on (38%, 95% CI = 16.4-62.6). Qualitative findings were consistent with quantitative results, revealing a culture of smoking as 'the norm' and a perception of cigarettes as a useful tool for patients and staff. A significant proportion of mental health professionals hold attitudes and misconceptions that may undermine the delivery of smoking cessation interventions; many report a lack of time, training and confidence as main barriers to addressing smoking in their patients. © 2016 The Authors

Parent-reported Mental Health Problems and Mental Health Services Use in South Australian School-aged Children

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Jing Wu

2016-09-01

Full Text Available Background:Monitoring and reporting childhood mental health problems and mental health services utilization over time provide important information to identify mental health related issues and to guide early intervention. This paper aims to describe the recent prevalence of parent-reported mental health problems among South Australian (SA children; to identify mental health problems associated characteristics; and to describe mental health services utilization and its related characteristics among this population. Methods:Parent-reported mental health problems were assessed against the first item of the Strength and Difficulties Questionnaire. School-aged children were randomly sampled monthly and data were collected using a surveillance system between 2005 and 2015. Associations between mental health problems and various factors were analysed using univariable analysis and multivariable logistic regression modelling. Results:Prevalence of parent-reported mental health problems among children was 9.1% and 9.3% for children aged 5 to 11 years and children aged 12 to 15 years, respectively. No change in prevalence was observed during the past decade. Mental health problems were associated with male sex, long-term illness or pain, negative school experiences, not living with biological parents, and living in a rental dwelling. Less than half (48.7% of the children with mental health problems received professional help. An increasing trend was found in mental health services utilisation among children aged 5 to 15 years. Utilization of mental health services was associated with male sex, older age, long-term illness or pain, and feeling unhappy at school. Conclusion:This study reports the prevalence of parent-reported mental and mental health services utilisation among SA school-aged children. Identified characteristics associated with mental health problems and mental health services utilisation provide useful information for the planning of

Predictors of Healthcare Service Utilization for Mental Health Reasons

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Marie-Josée Fleury

2014-10-01

Full Text Available This study was designed to identify: (1 predictors of 12-month healthcare service utilization for mental health reasons, framed by the Andersen model, among a population cohort in an epidemiological catchment area; and (2 correlates associated with healthcare service utilization for mental health reasons among individuals with and without mental disorders respectively. Analyses comprised univariate, bivariate, and multiple regression analyses. Being male, having poor quality of life, possessing better self-perception of physical health, and suffering from major depressive episodes, panic disorder, social phobia, and emotional problems predicted healthcare service utilization for mental health reasons. Among individuals with mental disorders, needs factors (psychological distress, impulsiveness, emotional problems, victim of violence, and aggressive behavior and visits to healthcare professionals were associated with healthcare service utilization for mental health reasons. Among individuals without mental disorders, healthcare service utilization for mental health reasons is strongly associated with enabling factors such as social support, income, environmental variables, and self-perception of the neighborhood. Interventions facilitating social cohesion and social solidarity in neighborhood settings may reduce the need to seek help among individuals without mental disorders. Furthermore, in their capacity as frontline professionals, general practitioners should be more sensitive in preventing, detecting, and treating mental disorders in routine primary care.

U.S. health professionals' views on obesity care, training, and self-efficacy.

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Bleich, Sara N; Bandara, Sachini; Bennett, Wendy L; Cooper, Lisa A; Gudzune, Kimberly A

2015-04-01

Despite emphasis of recent guidelines on multidisciplinary teams for collaborative weight management, little is known about non-physician health professionals' perspectives on obesity, their weight management training, and self-efficacy for obesity care. To evaluate differences in health professionals' perspectives on (1) the causes of obesity; (2) training in weight management; and (3) self-efficacy for providing obesity care. Data were obtained from a cross-sectional Internet-based survey of 500 U.S. health professionals from nutrition, nursing, behavioral/mental health, exercise, and pharmacy (collected from January 20 through February 5, 2014). Inferences were derived using logistic regression adjusting for age and education (analyzed in 2014). Nearly all non-physician health professionals, regardless of specialty, cited individual-level factors, such as overconsumption of food (97%), as important causes of obesity. Nutrition professionals were significantly more likely to report high-quality training in weight management (78%) than the other professionals (nursing, 53%; behavioral/mental health, 32%; exercise, 50%; pharmacy, 47%; pobese patients achieve clinically significant weight loss (88%) than the other professionals (nursing, 61%; behavioral/mental health, 51%; exercise, 52%; pharmacy, 61%; pobesity achieve clinically significant weight loss (nutrition, 81%; nursing, behavioral/mental health, exercise, and pharmacy, all health, exercise, and pharmacy professionals may need additional training in weight management and obesity care to effectively participate in collaborative weight management models. Copyright © 2015 American Journal of Preventive Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Mental Health First Aid: A Useful Tool for School Nurses.

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Atkins, Joy

2017-11-01

School nurses address mental health issues of youth on a daily basis. These mental health issues include substance abuse, anxiety, depression, and even suicidal ideation. Mental health first aid is a process that seeks to help medical professionals and laypeople recognize and address someone that is having a mental health or substance abuse crisis. This article will describe an experience with a student having suicidal ideations and how the mental health action plan was used.

Managing risk: clinical decision-making in mental health services.

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Muir-Cochrane, Eimear; Gerace, Adam; Mosel, Krista; O'Kane, Debra; Barkway, Patricia; Curren, David; Oster, Candice

2011-01-01

Risk assessment and management is a major component of contemporary mental health practice. Risk assessment in health care exists within contemporary perspectives of management and risk aversive practices in health care. This has led to much discussion about the best approach to assessing possible risks posed by people with mental health problems. In addition, researchers and commentators have expressed concern that clinical practice is being dominated by managerial models of risk management at the expense of meeting the patient's health and social care needs. The purpose of the present study is to investigate the risk assessment practices of a multidisciplinary mental health service. Findings indicate that mental health professionals draw on both managerial and therapeutic approaches to risk management, integrating these approaches into their clinical practice. Rather than being dominated by managerial concerns regarding risk, the participants demonstrate professional autonomy and concern for the needs of their clients.

Mental Health Stigma: Society, Individuals, and the Profession

OpenAIRE

Ahmedani, Brian K.

2011-01-01

Mental health stigma operates in society, is internalized by individuals, and is attributed by health professionals. This ethics-laden issue acts as a barrier to individuals who may seek or engage in treatment services. The dimensions, theory, and epistemology of mental health stigma have several implications for the social work profession.

Mental Health Issues and Students with Emotional and Behavioral Disorders

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DeLoach, Kendra P.; Dvorsky, Melissa; Miller, Elaine; Paget, Michael

2012-01-01

Students with emotional and behavioral challenges are significantly impacted by mental health issues. Teachers and other school staff need mental health knowledge to work more effectively with these students. Collaboration with mental health professionals and sharing of information is essential. [For complete volume, see ED539318.

Role of the police in linking individuals experiencing mental health crises with mental health services

Science.gov (United States)

2012-01-01

Background The police are considered frontline professionals in managing individuals experiencing mental health crises. This study examines the extent to which these individuals are disconnected from mental health services, and whether the police response has an influence on re-establishing contact. Methods Police records were searched for calls regarding individuals with acute mental health needs and police handling of these calls. Mental healthcare contact data were retrieved from a Psychiatric Case Register. Results The police were called upon for mental health crisis situations 492 times within the study year, involving 336 individuals (i.e. 1.7 per 1000 inhabitants per year). Half of these individuals (N=162) were disengaged from mental health services, lacking regular care contact in the year prior to the crisis (apart from contact for crisis intervention). In the month following the crisis, 21% of those who were previously disengaged from services had regular care contact, and this was more frequent (49%) if the police had contacted the mental health services during the crisis. The influence of police referral to the services was still present the following year. However, for the majority (58%) of disengaged individuals police did not contact the mental health services at the time of crisis. Conclusions The police deal with a substantial number of individuals experiencing a mental health crisis, half of whom are out of contact with mental health services, and police play an important role in linking these individuals to services. Training police officers to recognise and handle mental health crises, and implementing practical models of cooperation between the police and mental health services in dealing with such crises may further improve police referral of individuals disengaged from mental health services. PMID:23072687

Speeding the growth of primary mental health prevention

OpenAIRE

Wissow, Lawrence S

2015-01-01

While there is a strong case for primary prevention of mental health problems, relatively little mental health scholarship has been devoted to it in the last decade. Efforts to accelerate prevention scholarship could potentially benefit from strengthening pathways for interdisciplinary research; developing new training and working models for mental health professionals; developing a common language for public, policy, and scientific discussion of prevention; learning how to measure the common...

Legal abortion for mental health indications.

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Cook, R J; Ortega-Ortiz, A; Romans, S; Ross, L E

2006-11-01

Where legal systems allow therapeutic abortion to preserve women's mental health, practitioners often lack access to mental health professionals for making critical diagnoses or prognoses that pregnancy or childcare endangers patients' mental health. Practitioners themselves must then make clinical assessments of the impact on their patients of continued pregnancy or childcare. The law requires only that practitioners make assessments in good faith, and by credible criteria. Mental disorder includes psychological distress or mental suffering due to unwanted pregnancy and responsibility for childcare, or, for instance, anticipated serious fetal impairment. Account should be taken of factors that make patients vulnerable to distress, such as personal or family mental health history, factors that may precipitate mental distress, such as loss of personal relationships, and factors that may maintain distress, such as poor education and marginal social status. Some characteristics of patients may operate as both precipitating and maintaining factors, such as poverty and lack of social support.

Mental Health Stigma: Society, Individuals, and the Profession

Science.gov (United States)

Ahmedani, Brian K.

2011-01-01

Mental health stigma operates in society, is internalized by individuals, and is attributed by health professionals. This ethics-laden issue acts as a barrier to individuals who may seek or engage in treatment services. The dimensions, theory, and epistemology of mental health stigma have several implications for the social work profession. PMID:22211117

Rural interdisciplinary mental health team building via satellite: a demonstration project.

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Cornish, Peter A; Church, Elizabeth; Callanan, Terrence; Bethune, Cheri; Robbins, Carl; Miller, Robert

2003-01-01

This paper reports on the results of a demonstration project that examined the role of telehealth/telemedicine (hereafter referred to as telehealth) in providing interdisciplinary mental health training and support to health professionals in a rural region of Atlantic Canada. Special emphasis was placed on addressing the question of how training might affect interdisciplinary collaboration among the rural health professionals. Five urban mental health professionals from three disciplines provided training and support via video-satellite and internet, print and video resources to 34 rural health and community professionals. In order to assess the rural community's needs and the impact of the interventions, questionnaires were administered and on-site interviews were conducted before and after the project. Throughout the project, field notes were recorded and satisfaction ratings were obtained. Satisfaction with the video-satellite presentations was high and stable, with the exception of one session when signal quality was very poor. Rural participants were most satisfied with opportunities for interaction and least satisfied with the variable quality of the video transmission signal. High staff turnover among rural professionals resulted in insufficient power to permit statistical analysis. Positive reports of the project impact included expanded knowledge and heightened sensitivity to mental health issues, increased cross-disciplinary connections, and greater cohesion among professionals. The results suggest that, with some refinements, telehealth technology can be used to facilitate mental health training and promote interdisciplinary collaboration among professionals in a rural setting.

Exploring the relationships among personality traits, burnout dimensions and stigma in a sample of mental health professionals.

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Zaninotto, Leonardo; Rossi, Genny; Danieli, Andrea; Frasson, Alberto; Meneghetti, Leonardo; Zordan, Maria; Tito, Paolo; Salvetti, Beatrice; Conca, Andreas; Ferranti, Roberta; Salcuni, Silvia; Solmi, Marco

2018-04-07

A sample of mental health professionals (n = 215) from six Community Mental Health Services was examined using a short version of the Attribution Questionnaire-27, the Maslach Burnout Inventory and the Ten Items Personality Inventory to detect possible associations among stigma, burnout dimensions and personality traits. The role of demographic and professional variables was also explored. Perception of workplace safety resulted to significantly affect attitudes toward patients. The concern about being assaulted and a low level of Personal Accomplishment were both related to avoidant attitudes, while the presence of procedures for managing the violent patient was associated with a higher level of Personal Accomplishment. Conversely, Emotional Stability and Openness to new experiences were inversely correlated with burnout dimensions and avoidant attitudes, respectively. Overall, our study supports the view of a significant association among some dimensions of stigma, burnout and personality factors. In particular, avoidant attitudes toward patients may be influenced by Personal Accomplishment and Openness to new experiences. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Disaster Management: Mental Health Perspective.

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Math, Suresh Bada; Nirmala, Maria Christine; Moirangthem, Sydney; Kumar, Naveen C

2015-01-01

Disaster mental health is based on the principles of 'preventive medicine' This principle has necessitated a paradigm shift from relief centered post-disaster management to a holistic, multi-dimensional integrated community approach of health promotion, disaster prevention, preparedness and mitigation. This has ignited the paradigm shift from curative to preventive aspects of disaster management. This can be understood on the basis of six 'R's such as Readiness (Preparedness), Response (Immediate action), Relief (Sustained rescue work), Rehabilitation (Long term remedial measures using community resources), Recovery (Returning to normalcy) and Resilience (Fostering). Prevalence of mental health problems in disaster affected population is found to be higher by two to three times than that of the general population. Along with the diagnosable mental disorders, affected community also harbours large number of sub-syndromal symptoms. Majority of the acute phase reactions and disorders are self-limiting, whereas long-term phase disorders require assistance from mental health professionals. Role of psychotropic medication is very limited in preventing mental health morbidity. The role of cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) in mitigating the mental health morbidity appears to be promising. Role of Psychological First Aid (PFA) and debriefing is not well-established. Disaster management is a continuous and integrated cyclical process of planning, organising, coordinating and implementing measures to prevent and to manage disaster effectively. Thus, now it is time to integrate public health principles into disaster mental health.

Mental health care reforms in Asia: the urgency of now: building a recovery-oriented, community mental health service in china.

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Tse, Samson; Ran, Mao-Sheng; Huang, Yueqin; Zhu, Shimin

2013-07-01

For the first time in history, China has a mental health legal framework. People in China can now expect a better life and more accessible, better-quality health care services for their loved ones. Development of a community mental health service (CMHS) is at a crossroads. In this new column on mental health reforms in Asia, the authors review the current state of the CMHS in China and propose four strategic directions for future development: building on the strengths of the "686 Project," the 2004 initiative that launched China's mental health reform; improving professional skills of the mental health workforce, especially for a recovery approach; empowering families and caregivers to support individuals with severe mental illness; and using information and communications technology to promote self-help and reduce the stigma associated with psychiatric disorders.

Increasing use of mental health services in remote areas using mobile technology: a pre-post evaluation of the SMART Mental Health project in rural India.

OpenAIRE

Maulik, PK; Kallakuri, S; Devarapalli, S; Vadlamani, VK; Jha, V; Patel, A

2017-01-01

BACKGROUND: About 25% of the Indian population experience common mental disorders (CMD) but only 15-25% of them receive any mental health care. Stigma, lack of adequate mental health professionals and mental health services account for this treatment gap, which is worse in rural areas. Our project evaluated task shifting and mobile-technology based electronic decision support systems to enhance the ability of primary care health workers to provide evidence-based mental health care for stress,...

EQUIP training the trainers: an evaluation of a training programme for service users and carers involved in training mental health professionals in user-involved care planning.

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Fraser, C; Grundy, A; Meade, O; Callaghan, P; Lovell, K

2017-08-01

WHAT IS KNOWN ON THE SUBJECT?: UK NHS policy highlights the importance of user and carer involvement in health professional training. We know little about service user and carer motivations and experiences of accessing training courses for delivering training to health professionals and how well such courses prepare them for delivering training to healthcare professionals. 'Involvement' in training has often been tokenistic and too narrowly focused on preregistration courses. There is limited data on how best to prepare and support potential service user and carer trainers. WHAT DOES THIS PAPER ADD TO EXISTING KNOWLEDGE?: This study adds to the international literature by highlighting service user and carer motivations for accessing a training course for delivering training to health professionals. Service users and carers wanted to gain new skills and confidence in presentation/facilitation as well as to make a difference to healthcare practice. We also learned that service users desired different levels of involvement in training facilitation - some wanted to take a more active role than others. A one-size-fits-all approach is not always appropriate. Encountering resistance from staff in training was a previously unidentified challenge to service user and carers' experience of delivering training in practice and is a key challenge for trainers to address in future. Professional training involvement can be enhanced via specialist training such as the EQUIP training the trainers programme evaluated here. WHAT ARE THE IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE?: When training service users and carers to deliver training to mental health professionals, it is important that service users are equipped to deal with resistance from staff. It is important that service user and carer roles are negotiated and agreed prior to delivering training to healthcare professionals to accommodate individual preferences and allay anxieties. Training for service users and carers must be offered

Mental health-related discrimination as a predictor of low engagement with mental health services.

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Clement, Sarah; Williams, Paul; Farrelly, Simone; Hatch, Stephani L; Schauman, Oliver; Jeffery, Debra; Henderson, R Claire; Thornicroft, Graham

2015-02-01

This study aimed to test the hypothesis that mental health-related discrimination experienced by adults receiving care from community mental health teams is associated with low engagement with services and to explore the pathways between these two variables. In this cross-sectional study, 202 adults registered with inner-city community mental health teams in the United Kingdom completed interviews assessing their engagement with mental health services (service user-rated version of the Service Engagement Scale), discrimination that they experienced because of mental illness, and other variables. Structural equation modeling was conducted to examine the relationship of experienced discrimination and service engagement with potential mediating and moderating variables, such as anticipated discrimination (Questionnaire on Anticipated Discrimination), internalized stigma (Internalized Stigma of Mental Illness Scale), stigma stress appraisal (Stigma Stress Appraisal), mistrust in services, the therapeutic relationship (Scale to Assess Therapeutic Relationships), difficulty disclosing information about one's mental health, and social support. Analyses controlled for age, race-ethnicity, and symptomatology. No evidence was found for a direct effect between experienced discrimination and service engagement. The total indirect effect of experienced discrimination on service engagement was statistically significant (coefficient=1.055, 95% confidence interval [CI]=.312-2.074, p=.019), mainly via mistrust in mental health services and therapeutic relationships (coefficient=.804, CI=.295-1.558, p=.019). A 1-unit increase in experienced discrimination via this pathway resulted in .804-unit of deterioration in service engagement. Findings indicate the importance of building and maintaining service users' trust in mental health services and in therapeutic relationships with professionals and countering the discrimination that may erode trust.

Pathways into mental health care for UK veterans: a qualitative study.

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Mellotte, Harriet; Murphy, Dominic; Rafferty, Laura; Greenberg, Neil

2017-01-01

Background : It is well established that veterans suffering from mental health difficulties under use mental health services. Objective : This study aimed to understand more about the barriers that prevent veterans from seeking professional help and the enablers that assist veterans in seeking professional help. It also aimed to explore potential mechanisms to improve veterans' help-seeking and pathways to care. Method : The study employed a qualitative design whereby 17 veterans who had recently attended specialist veteran mental health services took part in semi-structured interviews. The resultant data were analysed using grounded theory. Results : Participants described two distinct stages to their help-seeking: initial help-seeking and pathways through treatment. Specific barriers and enablers to help-seeking were identified at each stage. Initial barriers included recognizing that there is a problem, self-stigma and anticipated public stigma. Initial enablers included being in crisis, social support, motivation and the media. Treatment pathway barriers included practical factors and negative beliefs about health services and professionals. Treatment pathway enablers included having a diagnosis, being seen in a veteran-specific service and establishing a good therapeutic relationship. Participants provided some suggestions for interventions to improve veterans' help-seeking in future; these focussed on enhancing both veterans and health professionals' knowledge regarding mental health difficulties. Conclusions : This study identified a number of barriers and enablers that may impact a veteran's journey in seeking help from professional services for mental health difficulties. Enablers such as reaching a crisis point, social support, the media, having a diagnosis of PTSD and veteran-specific mental health services appeared to be important in opposing stigma-related beliefs and in supporting veterans to engage in help-seeking behaviours.

Improving Work Functioning and Mental Health of Health Care Employees Using an E-Mental Health Approach to Workers' Health Surveillance: Pretest–Posttest Study

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Sarah M. Ketelaar

2014-12-01

Conclusion: The EMH approach to WHS improves the work functioning and mental health of nurses and allied health professionals. However, because we found small effects and participation in the offered EMH interventions was low, there is ample room for improvement.

Factors that influence Asian communities' access to mental health care.

Science.gov (United States)

Wynaden, Dianne; Chapman, Rose; Orb, Angelica; McGowan, Sunita; Zeeman, Zenith; Yeak, SiewHo

2005-06-01

This paper presents the findings of a qualitative study to identify factors that influence Asian communities' access to mental health care and how mental health care is delivered to them. Semistructured interviews were completed with Asian community members/leaders and health-care professionals. Content analysis identified major themes. Participants also completed a demographic data sheet. The research aimed to provide health professionals with an increased understanding of the values and beliefs held by people from Asian communities regarding the cause and treatment of mental illness. Data analysis identified six main themes that influenced Asian communities' access to mental health care and how mental health care is delivered to them. They were: shame and stigma; causes of mental illness; family reputation; hiding up; seeking help; and lack of collaboration. The findings highlighted that people from Asian communities are unwilling to access help from mainstream services because of their beliefs, and that stigma and shame are key factors that influence this reluctance. The findings also highlight that the mental health needs of refugee women are significant, and that they comprise a vulnerable group within Australian society.

Burnout and health among critical care professionals: The mediational role of resilience.

Science.gov (United States)

Arrogante, Oscar; Aparicio-Zaldivar, Eva

2017-10-01

To analyse the mediational role of resilience in relationships between burnout and health in critical care professionals; to determine relationships among resilience level, three burnout dimensions, and physical/mental health; and to establish demographic differences in psychological variables evaluated. Cross-sectional study. A total of 52 critical care professionals, mainly nurses, were recruited from an intensive care unit of Madrid (Spain). All participants were assessed with the questionnaires 10-item Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale, Maslach Burnout Inventory-Human Services Survey, and Short Form-12 Health Survey. No demographic differences were found. Three burnout dimensions were negatively associated with mental health and resilience. Mediational analyses revealed resilience mediated 1) the relationships between emotional exhaustion and depersonalisation with mental health (partial mediations) and 2) the relationship between personal accomplishment and mental health (total mediation). Resilience minimises and buffers the impact of negative outcomes of workplace stress on mental health of critical care professionals. As a result, resilience prevents the occurrence of burnout syndrome. Resilience improves not only their mental health, but also their ability to practice effectively. It is therefore imperative to develop resilience programs for critical care nurses in nursing schools, universities and health centres. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Speeding the growth of primary mental health prevention.

Science.gov (United States)

Wissow, Lawrence S

2015-01-01

While there is a strong case for primary prevention of mental health problems, relatively little mental health scholarship has been devoted to it in the last decade. Efforts to accelerate prevention scholarship could potentially benefit from strengthening pathways for interdisciplinary research; developing new training and working models for mental health professionals; developing a common language for public, policy, and scientific discussion of prevention; learning how to measure the common outcomes of heterogeneous interventions tailored to diverse communities.

Barriers and facilitators of disclosures of domestic violence by mental health service users: qualitative study.

Science.gov (United States)

Rose, Diana; Trevillion, Kylee; Woodall, Anna; Morgan, Craig; Feder, Gene; Howard, Louise

2011-03-01

Mental health service users are at high risk of domestic violence but this is often not detected by mental health services. To explore the facilitators and barriers to disclosure of domestic violence from a service user and professional perspective. A qualitative study in a socioeconomically deprived south London borough, UK, with 18 mental health service users and 20 mental health professionals. Purposive sampling of community mental health service users and mental healthcare professionals was used to recruit participants for individual interviews. Thematic analysis was used to determine dominant and subthemes. These were transformed into conceptual maps with accompanying illustrative quotations. Service users described barriers to disclosure of domestic violence to professionals including: fear of the consequences, including fear of Social Services involvement and consequent child protection proceedings, fear that disclosure would not be believed, and fear that disclosure would lead to further violence; the hidden nature of the violence; actions of the perpetrator; and feelings of shame. The main themes for professionals concerned role boundaries, competency and confidence. Service users and professionals reported that the medical diagnostic and treatment model with its emphasis on symptoms could act as a barrier to enquiry and disclosure. Both groups reported that enquiry and disclosure were facilitated by a supportive and trusting relationship between the individual and professional. Mental health services are not currently conducive to the disclosure of domestic violence. Training of professionals in how to address domestic violence to increase their confidence and expertise is recommended.

Mental Health of Prisoners: Identifying Barriers to Mental Health Treatment and Medication Continuity

Science.gov (United States)

Connell, Nadine M.

2014-01-01

Objectives. We assessed mental health screening and medication continuity in a nationally representative sample of US prisoners. Methods. We obtained data from 18 185 prisoners interviewed in the 2004 Survey of Inmates in State and Federal Correctional Facilities. We conducted survey logistic regressions with Stata version 13. Results. About 26% of the inmates were diagnosed with a mental health condition at some point during their lifetime, and a very small proportion (18%) were taking medication for their condition(s) on admission to prison. In prison, more than 50% of those who were medicated for mental health conditions at admission did not receive pharmacotherapy in prison. Inmates with schizophrenia were most likely to receive pharmacotherapy compared with those presenting with less overt conditions (e.g., depression). This lack of treatment continuity is partially attributable to screening procedures that do not result in treatment by a medical professional in prison. Conclusions. A substantial portion of the prison population is not receiving treatment for mental health conditions. This treatment discontinuity has the potential to affect both recidivism and health care costs on release from prison. PMID:25322306

Diet, exercise and mental-wellbeing of healthcare professionals (doctors, dentists and nurses in Pakistan

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Waqas Ahmad

2015-09-01

Full Text Available Background. “Health is wealth” is a time tested adage. Health becomes more relevant when it comes to professionals whose job is to provide people with services that maintain an optimum state of mental, physical and social well-being. Healthcare professionals (HCP differ from general population in regards to the nature of their work, stress, burnout etc. which begs the need to have a robust state of health for the ones who provide it to others. We initiated this study to see if healthcare professionals “practice what they preach others.”Methods. We employed a cross-sectional study design with convenience-sampling technique. Questionnaires were administered directly to the three groups of healthcare professionals (Doctors, Dentists and Nurses across the province Punjab after their consent. 1,319 healthcare professionals took part in the study (response rate of 87.35. Warwick Edinburg Mental Wellbeing Scale (WEMWBS was used to assess mental wellbeing. USDA Dietary Guidelines-2010 were employed to quantify diet. American Heart Association (AHA guidelines were employed for the analysis of exercise.Results. A total of 1,190 healthcare professionals formed the final sample with doctors and nurses forming the major proportion. Out of 1,190 participants only one healthcare professional was found to eat according to USDA Dietary Guidelines; others ate more of protein group and less of fruits, dairy and vegetable groups. 76% did not perform any exercise. 71.5% worked >48 h/week. More than 50% of healthcare professionals were sleeping <7 h/day. WEMWBS score of the entire sample was 47.97 ± 9.53 S.D.Conclusion. Our findings suggest that healthcare professionals do not practice what they preach. Their mental wellbeing, diet and exercise habits are not up to the mark and should be improved to foster the whole healthcare system for individual and community benefits.

Enhancing No Child Left Behind-School mental health connections.

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Daly, Brian P; Burke, Robert; Hare, Isadora; Mills, Carrie; Owens, Celeste; Moore, Elizabeth; Weist, Mark D

2006-11-01

The No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 was signed into law by President George W. Bush in January 2002 and is regarded as the most significant federal education policy initiative in a generation. The primary focus of the No Child Left Behind Act is on promoting educational success for all children; however, the legislation also contains opportunities to advance school-based mental health. Unfortunately, the complexities of the provisions of the No Child Left Behind Act have made it difficult for educators, stakeholders, and mental health professionals to understand the legal and practical interface between No Child Left Behind and the school mental health movement. Therefore, the goals of this article are to (1) raise awareness about the challenges educators and school mental health professionals face as a result of the implementation of No Child Left Behind and (2) provide ideas and recommendations to advance the interface between No Child Left Behind and school mental health, which will support key provisions of the act and the growth of the field.

[A mental health awareness anti-stigma program including user-trainers has a significant impact on knowledge, beliefs and attitudes of job centre professionals in Paris].

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Jouet, E; Moineville, M; Favriel, S; Leriche, P; Greacen, T

2014-04-01

Developing programs and actions to fight stigma and discrimination against people living with mental disorders is a priority both internationally and in France. Involving mental health service users in these anti-stigma programs has proved to be a key element for effective programs. The present study evaluates the impact of user-trainers in an anti-stigma campaign with job counselors on their knowledge, beliefs, and desire for social distance with regard to mental illness and the mentally ill. Eighty-nine professionals participated in eight mental health awareness days from December 2008 to June 2009. Each training day was built around two pedagogical units: firstly, a psychiatrist providing a theoretical overview of mental illness and care and secondly, user-trainers describing their point of view on mental illness and exchanging with participants. A questionnaire administered at the beginning and at the end of the mental health awareness day assessed the impact of the day on participants' knowledge, beliefs, and desire for social distance. Answers to open questions were evaluated using thematic qualitative analysis. The intervention had statistically significant positive effects on all three training objectives: knowledge, beliefs and desire for social distance. Analysis of qualitative data confirmed participants' need for information and training with regard to providing support to clients with mental health problems; participants frequently attributed their improved self-confidence at the end of the day with regard to providing job coaching for this population group to the presence of user-trainers. A mental health awareness day using mental health service users and psychiatrists as trainers had significant positive effects in terms of reducing stigma with regard to people with mental illness. Further research is needed to understand whether the impact of such awareness approaches can be maintained in everyday professional practice over time. Copyright © 2013

Attitudes toward suicidal behaviour among professionals at mental health outpatient clinics in Stavropol, Russia and Oslo, Norway.

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Norheim, Astrid Berge; Grimholt, Tine K; Loskutova, Ekaterina; Ekeberg, Oivind

2016-07-27

Attitudes toward suicidal behaviour can be essential regarding whether patients seek or are offered help. Patients with suicidal behaviour are increasingly treated by mental health outpatient clinics. Our aim was to study attitudes among professionals at outpatient clinics in Stavropol, Russia and Oslo, Norway. Three hundred and forty-eight (82 %) professionals anonymously completed a questionnaire about attitudes. Professionals at outpatient clinics in Stavropol (n = 119; 94 %) and Oslo (n = 229; 77 %) were enrolled in the study. The Understanding Suicidal Patients (USP) scale (11 = positive to 55 = negative) and the Attitudes Towards Suicide Scale (ATTS) (1 = totally disagree, 5 = totally agree) were used. Questions about religious background, perceived competence and experiences of and views on suicidal behaviour and treatment (0 = totally disagree, 4 = totally agree) were examined. All groups reported positive attitudes, with significant differences between Stavropol and Oslo (USP score, 21.8 vs 18.7; p attitudes towards helping suicidal patients, with significant differences between cities. A need for further education was reported in both cities, but education was less integrated in mental health care in Stavropol than it was in Oslo. In both cities, psychiatric disorders were considered the major reasons for suicide, and psychotherapy was the most important treatment measure.

Consensus Among International Ethical Guidelines for the Provision of Videoconferencing-Based Mental Health Treatments

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Wakefield, Claire E; McGill, Brittany C; Wilson, Helen L; Patterson, Pandora

2016-01-01

Background Online technologies may reduce barriers to evidence-based mental health care, yet they also create numerous ethical challenges. Recently, numerous professional organizations and expert groups have produced best-practice guidelines to assist mental health professionals in delivering online interventions in an ethically and clinically sound manner. However, there has been little critical examination of these international best-practice guidelines regarding appropriate electronic mental health (e-mental health) service delivery via technologies such as videoconferencing (including Skype), particularly for specific, vulnerable populations. Further, the extent to which concordance exists between these guidelines remains unclear. Synthesizing this literature to provide clear guidance to both mental health professionals and researchers is critical to ensure continued progress in the field of e-mental health. Objective This study aims to review all currently available ethical and best-practice guidelines relating to videoconferencing-delivered mental health treatments in order to ascertain the recommendations for which international consensus could be found. Additionally, this review examines the extent to which each set of guidance addresses several key special populations, including children and young people, and populations living with illness. Methods This systematic review examined guidelines using a two-armed search strategy, examining (1) professional organizations’ published guidance; and (2) MEDLINE, PsycINFO, and EMBASE for the past ten years. In order to determine consensus for best-practice, a recommendation was considered "firm" if 50% or more of the reviewed guidelines endorsed it and "tentative" if recommended by fewer guidelines than these. The professional guidelines were also scored by two raters using the Appraisal of Guidelines for Research and Evaluation II (AGREE-II) criteria. Results In the study, 19 guidelines were included, yielding 11

The relationship between mental health workers and family members

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van de Bovenkamp, H.M.; Trappenburg, M.J.

2010-01-01

Objective To study the relationship between family members and mental health care workers to learn more about the support available to family members of mental health patients. Methods Eighteen interviews were conducted with family members, seven with professionals and two with patients.

Brain drain: a challenge to global mental health.

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Oladeji, Bibilola D; Gureje, Oye

2016-08-01

The brain drain of medical professionals from lower-income to higher-income countries contributes to the current inequity that characterises access to mental healthcare by those in need across the world and hinders efforts to scale up mental health services in resource-constrained settings, especially in Nigeria and other West African countries. The migration of skilled workers is driven by a combination of the globalisation of the labour market and the ability of highly resourced countries to attract and retain specialists from poorer countries. If we are to ameliorate the worldwide shortage of mental health professionals, we need to find innovative ways of attracting young doctors into psychiatric training in all countries. We must also introduce measures to improve health worker retention in low- and middle-income countries.

Religion, health beliefs and the use of mental health services by the elderly.

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Ng, Tze Pin; Nyunt, Ma Shwe Zin; Chiam, Peak Chiang; Kua, Ee Heok

2011-03-01

Few studies have investigated whether elderly people of particular religious affiliations were more or less likely to seek treatment for mental illness, and whether it was related to their health beliefs. In the National Mental Survey of Elderly Singaporeans in 2004, data were collected on reported religious affiliations, and 1-year prevalence of mental disorders (DSM-IV diagnoses of psychiatric disorders) from diagnostic interviews using the Geriatric Mental State schedule, self-report of treatment for mental health problems, and health beliefs about the curability of mental illness, embarrassment and stigma, ease in discussing mental problems, effectiveness and safety of treatment, and trust in professionals. Compared to those with no religious affiliation, elderly people of all religious affiliations showed higher prevalence of mental health problems, yet reported less frequent treatment by healthcare professionals. In multivariate analyses, the adjusted odds ratio (95% confidence interval) of association with seeking treatment were for Christianity, 0.12 (0.02-0.57); Islam, 0.12 (0.01-1.31); Buddhism/Taoism, 0.59 (0.18-1.88); and Hinduism, 0.21 (0.02-2.56) versus no affiliation. Various religious affiliations differ from each other and from non-religious affiliation on some negative health beliefs, but they did not adequately explain why religious affiliates were less likely to seek treatment. Further studies should evaluate the lower tendency of elderly people with religious affiliations to seek treatment for mental health problems.

Does mental health staffing level affect antipsychotic prescribing? Analysis of Italian national statistics.

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Starace, Fabrizio; Mungai, Francesco; Barbui, Corrado

2018-01-01

In mental healthcare, one area of major concern identified by health information systems is variability in antipsychotic prescribing. While most studies have investigated patient- and prescriber-related factors as possible reasons for such variability, no studies have investigated facility-level characteristics. The present study ascertained whether staffing level is associated with antipsychotic prescribing in community mental healthcare. A cross-sectional analysis of data extracted from the Italian national mental health information system was carried out. For each Italian region, it collects data on the availability and use of mental health facilities. The rate of individuals exposed to antipsychotic drugs was tested for evidence of association with the rate of mental health staff availability by means of univariate and multivariate analyses. In Italy there were on average nearly 60 mental health professionals per 100,000 inhabitants, with wide regional variations (range 21 to 100). The average rate of individuals prescribed antipsychotic drugs was 2.33%, with wide regional variations (1.04% to 4.01%). Univariate analysis showed that the rate of individuals prescribed antipsychotic drugs was inversely associated with the rate of mental health professionals available in Italian regions (Kendall's tau -0.438, p = 0.006), with lower rates of antipsychotic prescriptions in regions with higher rates of mental health professionals. After adjustment for possible confounders, the total availability of mental health professionals was still inversely associated with the rate of individuals exposed to antipsychotic drugs. The evidence that staffing level was inversely associated with antipsychotic prescribing indicates that any actions aimed at decreasing variability in antipsychotic prescribing need to take into account aspects related to the organization of the mental health system.

Influencing factors of mental health of medical students in China.

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Yang, Fan; Meng, Heng; Chen, Hui; Xu, Xin-hao; Liu, Zhuo; Luo, Ai; Feng, Zhan-chun

2014-06-01

This study investigated the mental health status of medical students in China, and analyzed the influencing factors in order to provide evidence for mental health education for medical students. A stratified cluster sampling method was used to recruit medical students from Huazhong University of Science and Technology, China. The questionnaire survey on general information and Symptom Checklist 90 (SCL-90) were used for investigation and analysis. The results showed among the 1137 valid questionnaires, 278 (24.45%) participants had SCL-90 score ≥ 160. The top three mental problems of medical students were obsessive-compulsive disorder, interpersonal sensitivity and depression in terms of the factor score ≥ 2.5 and the number of participants who reflected on the diseases. The third-year medical students had the worst mental health status, and fifth-year medical students had the best mental health status. Students from rural area had more psychological problems than those from urban area; furthermore, students with high professional satisfaction, those who were the single child of the family, non-poor students, and those whose parents had high education level had better mental health status. It was concluded that the mental health of medical students is not optimistic in China. Medical students have some mental health problems of different degrees. Factors that influence the mental health of medical students include academic pressure, professional satisfaction level and family environment.

The response of mental health professionals to clients seeking help to change or redirect same-sex sexual orientation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

King Michael

2009-03-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background we know very little about mental health practitioners' views on treatments to change sexual orientation. Our aim was to survey a representative sample of professional members of the main United Kingdom psychotherapy and psychiatric organisations about their views and practices concerning such treatments. Methods We sent postal questions to mental health professionals who were members of British Psychological Society, the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy, the United Kingdom Council for Psychotherapy and the Royal College of Psychiatrists. Participants were asked to give their views about treatments to change homosexual desires and describe up to five patients each, whom they has treated in this way. Results Of 1848 practitioners contacted, 1406 questionnaires were returned and 1328 could be analysed. Although only 55 (4% of therapists reported that they would attempt to change a client's sexual orientation if one consulted asking for such therapy, 222 (17% reported having assisted at least one client/patient to reduce or change his or her homosexual or lesbian feelings. 413 patients were described by these 222 therapists: 213 (52% were seen in private practice and 117 (28% were not followed up beyond the period of treatment. Counselling was the commonest (66% treatment offered and there was no sign of a decline in treatments in recent years. 159 (72% of the 222 therapists who had provided such treatment considered that a service should be available for people who want to change their sexual orientation. Client/patient distress and client/patient autonomy were seen as reasons for intervention; therapists paid attention to religious, cultural and moral values causing internal conflict. Conclusion A significant minority of mental health professionals are attempting to help lesbian, gay and bisexual clients to become heterosexual. Given lack of evidence for the efficacy of such treatments, this is likely to be

The conceptualization of terms: ?Mood? and ?affect? in academic trainees of mental health

OpenAIRE

Manjunatha, Narayana; Khess, Christoday Raja Jayant; Ram, Dushad

2009-01-01

Background: The management of psychiatric disorders should ideally be carried out by a multidisciplinary team that consists of mental health professionals from different disciplines. All mental health professionals are expected to learn similar basic clinical skills during their training, despite the difference in their graduation. Objective: To compare the conceptualization of the terms ?mood? and ?affect? in all academic trainees of mental health in the Central Institute of Psychiatry (CIP)...

Treading lightly: spirituality issues in mental health nursing.

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Wilding, Clare; Muir-Cochrane, Eimear; May, Esther

2006-06-01

Spirituality has been recognized as an important part of nursing practice since its early beginnings. However, debate continues about whether and how nurses and other mental health professionals should include spirituality within their daily work. This paper aims to contribute to the discussion of spirituality within mental health nursing, through considering findings from a Heideggerian phenomenological study conducted with six people with mental illness living in regional Australia. This study aimed to provide a greater understanding of the phenomenon of spirituality by answering a primary research question, 'What does spirituality mean for people with a mental illness?' Participants were interviewed and data analysed using an iterative approach. Findings emerged through multiple readings and meanings were gradually constructed from the data into themes. The themes describe that spirituality is experienced uniquely for the participants, and that spirituality became vitally important to them when they became mentally unwell. In addition, issues of interest to mental health nurses were raised but not completely addressed by the study. The issues relate to potential interactions about spirituality between nurses and their patients. Although participants wanted to discuss their experiences of spirituality with others, they raised concerns about whether their mental health care providers would be accepting of their beliefs. Spirituality was deemed to be a highly individual phenomenon; it could be experienced as a journey and it was life-sustaining. For these reasons, it is proposed that mental health professionals must be prepared to discuss patients' spiritual needs in the context of their health concerns.

Promoting Physical and Mental Health among College Students: A Needs Assessment

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Bezyak, Jill; Clark, Alena

2016-01-01

Purpose: To conduct an initial needs assessment of physical and mental health behavior among college students to improve understanding of physical and mental health needs among future helping professionals. Method: A sample of 24 undergraduate students was used to provide a description of mental health, physical activity, and healthy eating…

Mental Health Beliefs Amongst Emirati Female College Students.

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Al-Darmaki, Fatima; Thomas, Justin; Yaaqeib, Saad

2016-02-01

Recent epidemiological data from Arabian Gulf nations suggest that mental health problems such as depression and anxiety have a relatively high prevalence, particularly amongst women. However, despite the widespread morbidity, treatment seeking for mental health problems is low. Mental health beliefs amongst female Emirati college students were explored. A questionnaire exploring perceptions about the causes, consequences and best forms of intervention for mental health problems was administered to 70 participants. Data revealed that social and environmental factors were given the most weight in terms of etiology. Social stigma was the most frequently identified barrier to help seeking. Religious practices were commonly reported as an approach to cope with mental health problems and to maintain good psychological health. Most participants reported willingness to seek help from a healthcare professional. Results are discussed in terms of their implications for improving the quality and accessibility of mental health services in the gulf region.

Young Men, Help-Seeking, and Mental Health Services: Exploring Barriers and Solutions.

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Lynch, Louise; Long, Maggie; Moorhead, Anne

2018-01-01

International research has identified young men as reluctant to seek help for mental health problems. This research explored barriers and solutions to professional help seeking for mental health problems among young men living in the North West of Ireland. A qualitative approach, using two focus groups with six participants each and five face-to-face interviews, was conducted with men aged 18 to 24 years (total N = 17). Data were analyzed using thematic analysis. Seven key themes of barriers to professional help seeking were identified: "acceptance from peers," "personal challenges," "cultural and environmental influences," "self-medicating with alcohol," "perspectives around seeking professional help," "fear of homophobic responses," and "traditional masculine ideals." Five key themes of solutions to these barriers included "tailored mental health advertising," "integrating mental health into formal education," "education through semiformal support services," "accessible mental health care," and "making new meaning." Interesting findings on barriers include fear of psychiatric medication, fear of homophobic responses from professionals, the legacy of Catholic attitudes, and the genuine need for care. This study offers an in-depth exploration of how young men experience barriers and uniquely offers solutions identified by participants themselves. Youth work settings were identified as a resource for engaging young men in mental health work. Young men can be encouraged to seek help if services and professionals actively address barriers, combining advertising, services, and education, with particular attention and respect to how and when young men seek help and with whom they want to share their problems.

First aid strategies that are helpful to young people developing a mental disorder: beliefs of health professionals compared to young people and parents

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Wright Annemarie

2008-06-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Little is known about the best ways for a member of the public to respond when someone in their social network develops a mental disorder. Controlled trials are not feasible in this area, so expert consensus may be the best guide. Methods To assess expert views, postal surveys were carried out with Australian GPs, psychiatrists and psychologists listed on professional registers and with mental health nurses who were members of a professional college. These professionals were asked to rate the helpfulness of 10 potential first aid strategies for young people with one of four disorders: depression, depression with alcohol misuse, social phobia and psychosis. Data were obtained from 470 GPs, 591 psychiatrists, 736 psychologists and 522 mental health nurses, with respective response rates of 24%, 35%, 40% and 32%. Data on public views were available from an earlier telephone survey of 3746 Australian youth aged 12–25 years and 2005 of their parents, which included questions about the same strategies. Results A clear majority across the four professions believed in the helpfulness of listening to the person, suggesting professional help-seeking, making an appointment for the person to see a GP and asking about suicidal feelings. There was also a clear majority believing in the harmfulness of ignoring the person, suggesting use of alcohol to cope, and talking to them firmly. Compared to health professionals, young people and their parents were less likely to believe that asking about suicidal feelings would be helpful and more likely to believe it would be harmful. They were also less likely to believe that talking to the person firmly would be harmful. Conclusion Several first aid strategies can be recommended to the public based on agreement of clinicians about their likely helpfulness. In particular, there needs to be greater public awareness of the helpfulness of asking a young person with a mental health problem about

Mental health nursing: Daring to be different, special and leading recovery-focused care?

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Santangelo, Peter; Procter, Nicholas; Fassett, Denise

2018-02-01

How mental health nursing is differentiated from other disciplines and professions, and what special contribution mental health nurses make to health services, is a question at the heart of contemporary practice. One of the significant challenges for mental health nurses is identifying, developing and advancing those aspects of their practice that they consider differentiate them in the multi-disciplinary mental health care team and to articulate clearly what a mental health nurse is and does. This paper draws on data from interviews with 36 mental health nurses in Australia who identified their practice as autonomous. Participants were asked the question, "What's special about mental health nursing?" Constructivist grounded theory techniques were applied to the research process. Findings were formulated and expressed as the 'Ten P's of the professional profile that is mental health nursing', which are 'present', 'personal', 'participant partnering', 'professional', 'phenomenological', 'pragmatic', 'power-sharing', 'psycho-therapeutic', 'proud' and 'profound'. The combined elements of the findings present a theoretical construct of mental health nursing practice as something distinctive and special. It provides a model and exemplar for contemporary practice in mental health nursing, embracing the role of mental health nurses in the health care workforce as being well placed as providers of productive and effective care. © 2017 Australian College of Mental Health Nurses Inc.

The effect of a community mental health training program for multidisciplinary staff.

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Yang, Bing Xiang; Stone, Teresa E; Davis, Scott A

2018-06-01

Primary health workers play a critical role in providing health education to people with mental disorders. In China community health workers working with people with mental health problems lack experience and training in this area. Additionally, coordination between hospital and community staff is not well established. The aim of this study was to provide an interdisciplinary community mental health training program and to evaluate the effect of the training on staff knowledge about mental health and confidence in their roles. A three-day community mental health training program was offered specifically for interdisciplinary mental health professionals. Using a one-group pre-test post-test design, participants completed a self-assessment of mental health concepts and program evaluation which included asking participants to rate their satisfaction using a five-point Likert scale and to respond to open-ended questions. Forty-eight participants including health professionals from colleges, hospital and community health centers were recruited. Only 8.7% of participants had ever received community mental health training. Post-test evaluation demonstrated improvements in knowledge, and most participants were very satisfied with the program. The findings indicate that this brief interdisciplinary training program had a positive effect in improving knowledge about community mental health concepts and confidence in dealing with people with mental health disorders for multidisciplinary staff working in primary health care areas. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Occupational stress, mental health and coping among information technology professionals.

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Rao, Jakkula V; Chandraiah, K

2012-01-01

Experience of occupational stress is inevitably involved in the execution of any type of work. Stress has an adaptive value. It motivates the individual to attend to the task and get rid of the tension or demand the unattended task produced. The study was planned to investigate the differences between executives and shop floor workers on occupational stress, mental health, job satisfaction and coping. A random sample of 200 executives and shop floor employees collected from Nuclear Fuel Complex of Hyderabad City. A well developed sub-scales of Occupational Stress indicator like Mental Health, and Coping behavior were used in the present study. The shop floor workers experiencing more job stress and lower mental health. But these two groups did not differ in their coping behaviour. The executives are better with work home balance.

'I-as-We' - Powerful boundaries within the field of mental health coproduction.

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von Peter, Sebastian; Schulz, Gwen

2018-05-02

To date, there is little research on personal crisis experiences of mental health professionals. The aim of this study was to explore some of the reasons for why self-disclosure is so difficult and how these difficulties may prevent productive forms of coproduction. These questions are addressed both from a psychiatrist's autoethnographic account and from the perspective of a peer worker who works in various coproductive relationships. It is shown that mental health professionals often revert to an "I-as-we", speaking of themselves as a collective and thereby reifying the boundaries between 'vulnerable users' and 'invulnerable professionals'. Ethnographic examples are given, of how these boundaries are produced by a continuous, often invisible, and powerful category work. It is discussed how the dichotomous logic of these boundaries can cause people on both sides to feel reduced to a representation of a certain species, which can take on an existential dimension. Ways out are identified for mental health professionals to self-reflexively engage with their own crisis experience in coproductive and other relationships. © 2018 Australian College of Mental Health Nurses Inc.

'Admit voluntary, schedule if tries to leave': placing Mental Health Acts in the context of mental health law and human rights.

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Wand, Anne; Wand, Timothy

2013-04-01

Most postgraduate training for clinicians in Australia and New Zealand regarding mental health legislation focuses on the relevant Mental Health Acts (MHAs) rather than the broader principles of mental health law. Key concepts include treatment in the least restrictive environment, voluntary access to mental health services, treatability, reciprocity and due process. Lack of awareness of these principles may result in a more risk-averse interpretation of MHAs, which is inconsistent with the spirit of mental health law and the promotion of human rights. The aim of this paper is to present some fundamental principles of mental health law, which are essential to proper clinical application of MHAs, and to demonstrate why they should form part of the curriculum for psychiatry training and continuing professional development for psychiatrists. A sound understanding of the principles of mental health law is essential for all clinicians who may be enacting aspects of MHAs. This provides the necessary platform to safeguard human rights and optimise the care of people with a mental illness.

A mixed‐method systematic review and meta‐analysis of mental health professionals' attitudes toward smoking and smoking cessation among people with mental illnesses

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Sheals, Kate; Tombor, Ildiko; McNeill, Ann

2016-01-01

Abstract Background and aims People with mental illnesses and substance abuse disorders are important targets for smoking cessation interventions. Mental health professionals (MHPs) are ideally placed to deliver interventions, but their attitudes may prevent this. This systematic review therefore aimed to identify and estimate quantitatively MHPs attitudes towards smoking and main barriers for providing smoking cessation support and to explore these attitudes in‐depth through qualitative synthesis. Methods The online databases AMED, EMBASE, Medline, PsychINFO, HMIC and CINAHL were searched in March 2015 using terms relating to three concepts: ‘attitudes’, ‘mental health professionals’ and ‘smoking cessation’. Quantitative or qualitative studies of any type were included. Proportions of MHPs' attitudes towards smoking and smoking cessation were pooled across studies using random effects meta‐analysis. Qualitative findings were evaluated using thematic synthesis. Results Thirty‐eight studies including 16 369 participants were eligible for inclusion. Pooled proportions revealed that 42.2% [95% confidence interval (CI) = 35.7–48.8] of MHPs reported perceived barriers to smoking cessation interventions, 40.5% (95% CI = 30.4–51.0) negative attitudes towards smoking cessation and 45.0% (95% CI = 31.9–58.4) permissive attitudes towards smoking. The most commonly held beliefs were that patients are not interested in quitting (51.4%, 95% CI = 33.4–69.2) and that quitting smoking is too much for patients to take on (38%, 95% CI = 16.4–62.6). Qualitative findings were consistent with quantitative results, revealing a culture of smoking as ‘the norm’ and a perception of cigarettes as a useful tool for patients and staff. Conclusions A significant proportion of mental health professionals hold attitudes and misconceptions that may undermine the delivery of smoking cessation interventions; many report a lack of time, training and

Issues in rural adolescent mental health in Australia.

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Boyd, Candice P; Aisbett, Damon L; Francis, Kristy; Kelly, Melinda; Newnham, Krystal; Newnham, Karyn

2006-01-01

The mental health of adolescents living in rural Australia has received little research attention. In this article, the extant literature on rural adolescent mental health in Australia is reviewed. Given the lack of literature on this topic, the review is centered on a vignette presented at the beginning of the article. The case represented by the vignette is that of a young Australian growing up in a rural area. The issues raised--including the nature of mental health issues for rural adolescents and barriers to seeking professional help--are then discussed in terms of the available literature. The article concludes with a future focus for research efforts in the area of rural adolescent mental health.

Mental health care: how can Family Health teams integrate it into Primary Healthcare?

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Gryschek, Guilherme; Pinto, Adriana Avanzi Marques

2015-10-01

Mental health is one of the responsibilities of Brazil's Family Health system. This review of literature sought to understand what position Mental Health occupies in the practice of the Family Health Strategy. A search was made of the scientific literature in the database of the Virtual Health Library (Biblioteca Virtual de Saúde), for the keywords: 'Mental Health'; 'Family Health'; 'Primary Healthcare'. The criteria for inclusion were: Brazilian studies from 2009 through 2012 that contributed to understanding of the following question: "How to insert Mental health care into the routine of the Family Health Strategy?" A total of 11 articles were found, which identified difficulties and strategies of the professionals in Primary Healthcare in relation to mental health. Referral, and medicalization, were common practices. Matrix Support is the strategy of training and skill acquisition for teams that enables new approaches in mental health in the context of Primary healthcare. It is necessary for Management of the Health System to take an active role in the construction of healthcare networks in mental health.

Can clinical use of Social Media improve quality of care in mental Health? A Health Technology Assessment approach in an Italian mental health service.

Science.gov (United States)

Di Napoli, Wilma Angela; Nollo, Giandomenico; Pace, Nicola; Torri, Emanuele

2015-09-01

Clinical use of modern Information and Communication Technologies such as Social Media (SM) can easily reach and empower groups of population at risk or affected by chronic diseases, and promote improvement of quality of care. In the paper we present an assessment of SM (i.e. e-mails, websites, on line social networks, apps) in the management of mental disorders, carried out in the Mental Health Service of Trento (Italy) according to Health Technology Assessment criteria. A systematic review of literature was performed to evaluate technical features, safety and effectiveness of SM. To understand usage rate and attitude towards new social technologies of patients and professionals, we performed a context analysis by a survey conducted over a group of 88 psychiatric patients and a group of 35 professionals. At last, we made recommendations for decision makers in order to promote SM for the management of mental disorders in a context of prioritization of investments in health care.

Young Men, Help-Seeking, and Mental Health Services: Exploring Barriers and Solutions

Science.gov (United States)

Lynch, Louise; Long, Maggie; Moorhead, Anne

2016-01-01

International research has identified young men as reluctant to seek help for mental health problems. This research explored barriers and solutions to professional help seeking for mental health problems among young men living in the North West of Ireland. A qualitative approach, using two focus groups with six participants each and five face-to-face interviews, was conducted with men aged 18 to 24 years (total N = 17). Data were analyzed using thematic analysis. Seven key themes of barriers to professional help seeking were identified: “acceptance from peers,” “personal challenges,” “cultural and environmental influences,” “self-medicating with alcohol,” “perspectives around seeking professional help,” “fear of homophobic responses,” and “traditional masculine ideals.” Five key themes of solutions to these barriers included “tailored mental health advertising,” “integrating mental health into formal education,” “education through semiformal support services,” “accessible mental health care,” and “making new meaning.” Interesting findings on barriers include fear of psychiatric medication, fear of homophobic responses from professionals, the legacy of Catholic attitudes, and the genuine need for care. This study offers an in-depth exploration of how young men experience barriers and uniquely offers solutions identified by participants themselves. Youth work settings were identified as a resource for engaging young men in mental health work. Young men can be encouraged to seek help if services and professionals actively address barriers, combining advertising, services, and education, with particular attention and respect to how and when young men seek help and with whom they want to share their problems. PMID:27365212

Collaboration between mental health and employment services to support employment of individuals with mental disorders

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Holwerda, Anja; Fokkens, Andrea S.; Engbers, Carola; Brouwer, Sandra

2016-01-01

Purpose: The aim of this study was to investigate the extent of the interdisciplinary collaboration between mental health (MHS) professionals and social security professionals (SSI), their perceptions of this interdisciplinary collaboration and whether these perceptions differed between

Collaboration with Community Mental Health Service Providers: A Necessity in Contemporary Schools

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Villarreal, Victor; Castro-Villarreal, Felicia

2016-01-01

Schools have played an increasingly central role in providing mental health services to youth, but there are limitations to the services that are available through school-based mental health professionals. Thus, collaboration with non-school-based community mental health providers is oftentimes necessary. As collaboration can address limitations…

Home care assistants’ perspectives on detecting mental health problems and promoting mental health among community-dwelling seniors with multimorbidity

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Grundberg, Åke; Hansson, Anna; Religa, Dorota; Hillerås, Pernilla

2016-01-01

Introduction Elderly people with multiple chronic conditions, or multimorbidity, are at risk of developing poor mental health. These seniors often remain in their homes with support from home care assistants (HCAs). Mental health promotion by HCAs needs to be studied further because they may be among the first to observe changes in clients’ mental health status. Aim To describe HCAs’ perspectives on detecting mental health problems and promoting mental health among homebound seniors with multimorbidity. Methods We applied a descriptive qualitative study design using semi-structured interviews. Content analyses were performed on five focus group interviews conducted in 2014 with 26 HCAs. Results Most HCAs stated that they were experienced in caring for clients with mental health problems such as anxiety, depression, sleep problems, and high alcohol consumption. The HCAs mentioned as causes, or risk factors, multiple chronic conditions, feelings of loneliness, and social isolation. The findings reveal that continuity of care and seniors’ own thoughts and perceptions were essential to detecting mental health problems. Observation, collaboration, and social support emerged as important means of detecting mental health problems and promoting mental health. Conclusion The HCAs had knowledge of risk factors, but they seemed insecure about which health professionals had the primary responsibility for mental health. They also seemed to have detected early signs of mental health problems, even though good personal knowledge of the client and continuity in home visits were crucial to do so. When it came to mental health promotion, the suggestions related to the aim of ending social isolation, decreasing feelings of loneliness, and increasing physical activity. The results indicate that the HCAs seemed dependent on supervision by district nurses and on care managers’ decisions to support the needed care, to schedule assignments related to the detection of mental health

Mental Health Practitioners' Reflections on Psychological Work in Uganda: Exploring Perspectives from Different Professions

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Hall, Jennifer; d'Ardenne, Patricia; Nsereko, James; Kasujja, Rosco; Baillie, Dave; Mpango, Richard; Birabwa, Harriet; Hunter, Elaine

2014-01-01

The Butabika-East London Link collaborated with Ugandan mental health services to train mental health professionals (psychiatric clinical officers, "PCOs", and clinical psychologists and psychiatrists, "Core Group") in psychological therapies. The aims of this research were to investigate how professionals were applying and…

Mental health leadership and patient access to care: a public-private initiative in South Africa.

Science.gov (United States)

Szabo, Christopher Paul; Fine, Jennifer; Mayers, Pat; Naidoo, Shan; Zabow, Tuviah

2017-01-01

Mental health leadership is a critical component of patient access to care. More specifically, the ability of mental health professionals to articulate the needs of patients, formulate strategies and engage meaningfully at the appropriate level in pursuit of resources. This is not a skill set routinely taught to mental health professionals. A public-private mental health leadership initiative, emanating from a patient access to care programme, was developed with the aim of building leadership capacity within the South African public mental health sector. The express aim was to equip health care professionals with the requisite skills to more effectively advocate for their patients. The initiative involved participants from various sites within South Africa. Inclusion was based on the proposal of an ongoing "project", i.e. a clinician-initiated service development with a multidisciplinary focus. The projects were varied in nature but all involved identification of and a plan for addressing an aspect of the participants' daily professional work which negatively impacted on patient care due to unmet needs. Six such projects were included and involved 15 participants, comprising personnel from psychiatry, psychology, occupational therapy and nursing. Each project group was formally mentored as part of the initiative, with mentors being senior professionals with expertise in psychiatry, public health and nursing. The programme design thus provided a unique practical dimension in which skills and learnings were applied to the projects with numerous and diverse outcomes. Benefits were noted by participants but extended beyond the individuals to the health institutions in which they worked and the patients that they served. Participants acquired both the skills and the confidence which enabled them to sustain the changes that they themselves had initiated in their institutions. The initiative gave impetus to the inclusion of public mental health as part of the curriculum

Mental health need and access to mental health services by youths involved with child welfare: a national survey.

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Burns, Barbara J; Phillips, Susan D; Wagner, H Ryan; Barth, Richard P; Kolko, David J; Campbell, Yvonne; Landsverk, John

2004-08-01

This study assessed the relationship between the need for and use of mental health services among a nationally representative sample of children who were investigated by child welfare agencies after reported maltreatment. Data were collected at study entry into the National Survey of Child and Adolescent Well-Being and were weighted to provide population estimates. Nearly half (47.9%) of the youths aged 2 to 14 years (N = 3,803) with completed child welfare investigations had clinically significant emotional or behavioral problems. Youths with mental health need (defined by a clinical range score on the Child Behavior Checklist) were much more likely to receive mental health services than lower scoring youth; still, only one fourth of such youths received any specialty mental health care during the previous 12 months. Clinical need was related to receipt of mental health care across all age groups (odds ratio = 2.7-3.5). In addition, for young children (2-5 years), sexual abuse (versus neglect) increased access to mental health services. For latency-age youths, African-American race and living at home significantly reduced the likelihood of care. Adolescents living at home were also less likely to receive services, whereas having a parent with severe mental illness increased (odds ratio = 2.4) the likelihood of service use. Routine screening for mental health need and increasing access to mental health professionals for further evaluation and treatment should be a priority for children early in their contact with the child welfare system.

Mental Health and Social Emotional Programming in Schools: Missing Link or Misappropriation?

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Even, Trigg A.; Quast, Heather L.

2017-01-01

While differences of opinion exist on whether mental health services fall within the scope of public education, schools may represent the best opportunity to provide young people with necessary access to mental health care. Professional school counselors are uniquely qualified by training and experience to address the mental health and social…

[Work in mental health: a job satisfaction and work impact study].

Science.gov (United States)

Rebouças, Denise; Abelha, Lúcia; Legay, Letícia Fortes; Lovisi, Giovanni Marcos

2008-03-01

Knowledge of job satisfaction and work impact among psychiatric staff is highly useful for policymakers and mental health professionals. Since there are few studies on this issue in Brazil, a cross-sectional study was carried out among mental health professionals. Data were collected for 133 professionals from 4 mental health services in Rio de Janeiro, using SATIS-BR and IMPACTO-BR scales and a socio-demographic questionnaire. Statistical associations were analyzed using the Mann-Whitney, Kruskal-Wallis, and chi-square tests and multiple linear regression. SPSS 10.1 for Windows was used for statistical analyses. Mean satisfaction was 3.30 and mean work impact was 2.08 (on a scale from 1 to 5). 62.4% of subjects reported moderate satisfaction. Mental health workers with less schooling showed higher satisfaction. Work impact was not associated with any explanatory variable. The results for job satisfaction were similar to those of other studies. Work impact was very low. Unlike studies from the United States and Europe, there were no differences between the community-based and in-hospital staff.

Experiences of mental health professionals and patients in the use of pro re nata medication in acute adult mental healthcare settings: a systematic review.

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Morkunas, Bernadette; Porritt, Kylie; Stephenson, Matthew

2016-10-01

The use of pro re nata (PRN) medication, a medication that is given when needed, as opposed to medication that is given at a regular time, is surrounded by claims of misuse and poor accountability within the mental health setting. Gaining insight into and understanding of the experiences of health professionals' and patients' use of PRN medication will assist in contributing to improving education and safety around this common intervention. To analyze and synthesize the best available evidence on the perspectives of patients and mental health professionals (MHPs) with their experiences of PRN medication in mental health settings. Participants considered for inclusion in this review include MHPs working in, and adult patients admitted to, an acute adult mental healthcare setting. This review will consider studies that investigated the experience of MHPs' and patients' use of PRN medication in acute adult mental healthcare settings. The current review will consider studies that focused on qualitative data including, but not limited to, designs such as phenomenology, grounded theory, ethnography, action research and feminist research. The context of the review is acute adult mental healthcare settings with no restriction on geographical location. The search strategy aims to find both published and unpublished studies. The databases searched include CINAHL, PubMed, Scopus, PsycINFO and Embase. A gray literature search included ProQuest Dissertations and Theses, Mednar and Google Scholar. Papers selected for retrieval were assessed by two independent reviewers for methodological validity before inclusion in the review using the standardized critical appraisal instrument from the Joanna Briggs Institute Qualitative Assessment and Review Instrument (JBI-QARI). The standardized data extraction tool from the JBI-QARI was used to extract data from the papers. Qualitative research findings were pooled using the JBI-QARI. This involved the aggregation of findings to generate a

The Role of Mental Health Professionals Contributes to Mental Health Promotion and Prevention: Innovative Programmes in Serbia

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Milovancevic, Milica Pejovic; Jovicic, Milica

2013-01-01

It has been estimated that 9 to 13% of children and adolescents have a mental disorder that causes significant functioning impairment and that only one fifth of those who need mental health services actually receive them. The majority of children and adolescents are enrolled in schools, where they spend a considerable amount of time, and this is…

Students' benefits and barriers to mental health help-seeking

Science.gov (United States)

Vidourek, Rebecca A.; King, Keith A.; Nabors, Laura A.; Merianos, Ashley L.

2014-01-01

Stigma is recognized as a potential barrier to seeking help for a mental health disorder. The present study assessed college students' perceived benefits and barriers to obtaining mental health treatment and stigma-related attitudes via a four-page survey. A total of 682 students at one Midwestern university participated in the study. Findings indicated that females perceived a greater number of benefits to having participated in mental health services and held significantly lower stigma-related attitudes than did males. Students who had ever received mental health services reported significantly more barriers to treatment than did students who had never received services. Health professionals should target students with educational programs about positive outcomes related to receiving mental health services and work with treatment centers to reduce barriers for receiving services. PMID:25750831

Job satisfaction among mental healthcare professionals: The respective contributions of professional characteristics, team attributes, team processes, and team emergent states

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Fleury, Marie-Josée; Grenier, Guy; Bamvita, Jean-Marie

2017-01-01

Objectives: The aim of this study was to determine the respective contribution of professional characteristics, team attributes, team processes, and team emergent states on the job satisfaction of 315 mental health professionals from Quebec (Canada). Methods: Job satisfaction was measured with the Job Satisfaction Survey. Independent variables were organized into four categories according to a conceptual framework inspired from the Input-Mediator-Outcomes-Input Model. The contribution of each category of variables was assessed using hierarchical regression analysis. Results: Variations in job satisfaction were mostly explained by team processes, with minimal contribution from the other three categories. Among the six variables significantly associated with job satisfaction in the final model, four were team processes: stronger team support, less team conflict, deeper involvement in the decision-making process, and more team collaboration. Job satisfaction was also associated with nursing and, marginally, male gender (professional characteristics) as well as with a stronger affective commitment toward the team (team emergent states). Discussion and Conclusion: Results confirm the importance for health managers of offering adequate support to mental health professionals, and creating an environment favorable to collaboration and decision-sharing, and likely to reduce conflicts between team members. PMID:29276591

Job satisfaction among mental healthcare professionals: The respective contributions of professional characteristics, team attributes, team processes, and team emergent states.

Science.gov (United States)

Fleury, Marie-Josée; Grenier, Guy; Bamvita, Jean-Marie

2017-01-01

The aim of this study was to determine the respective contribution of professional characteristics, team attributes, team processes, and team emergent states on the job satisfaction of 315 mental health professionals from Quebec (Canada). Job satisfaction was measured with the Job Satisfaction Survey. Independent variables were organized into four categories according to a conceptual framework inspired from the Input-Mediator-Outcomes-Input Model. The contribution of each category of variables was assessed using hierarchical regression analysis. Variations in job satisfaction were mostly explained by team processes, with minimal contribution from the other three categories. Among the six variables significantly associated with job satisfaction in the final model, four were team processes: stronger team support, less team conflict, deeper involvement in the decision-making process, and more team collaboration. Job satisfaction was also associated with nursing and, marginally, male gender (professional characteristics) as well as with a stronger affective commitment toward the team (team emergent states). Results confirm the importance for health managers of offering adequate support to mental health professionals, and creating an environment favorable to collaboration and decision-sharing, and likely to reduce conflicts between team members.

Training of Professionals from the Family Health Strategy for Psychosocial Care for the Elderly

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Verônica Lourdes Lima Batista Maia

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Background: Mental disorders of the elderly constitute a public health problem due to their high prevalence, shortage of specialized services offered in Brazil, difficulties of access by the population and deficiency in the training of professionals of the Family Health Strategy for the identification, receptiveness and psychosocial assistance to the elderly. Objectives: To analyze the training of professionals of the Family Health Strategy on psychosocial care for the elderly in the context of the Psychosocial Care Network – RAPS (Rede de Atenção Psicossocial, and to discuss how professional training influences the care provided to the elderly. Methodology: Descriptive, qualitative study carried out with 31 professionals, 13 physicians and 18 nurses, who work at the Family Health Strategy of the city of Picos, Piauí, Brazil. The data were collected in January 2016, through a semi-structured interview guide, processed by the IRAMUTEQ software and analyzed by means of the Descending Hierarchical Classification. Results: The results were presented in three segments, namely: 1. The practice of professionals from the Family Health Strategy in psychosocial care in the family context; 2. Training of specialized professionals, in the attention to the elderly, in the Family Health Strategy; 3. The Psychosocial Attention Network in the care of elderly users of alcohol and other drugs; Conclusion: Health professionals have difficulties in dealing with the elderly with mental disorders in basic care. In order to facilitate access to specialized health services and to develop actions for social reintegration, prevention and harm reduction, it is necessary to implement a policy of ongoing training and education for health professionals to improve care for the elderly. Keywords: Aging; Mental Health; Mental disorders; Family Health Strategy.

[Students Having Parents with Mental Health Issues and Teachers' Mental Health Literacy].

Science.gov (United States)

Bruland, Dirk; Kornblum, Katharina; Harsch, Stefanie; Bröder, Janine; Okan, Orkan; Bauer, Ullrich

2017-12-01

Students Having Parents with Mental Health Issues and Teachers' Mental Health Literacy Mental health issues of parents of school children often negatively affects the children as well, including their school performance and social behavior in the school setting. Teachers are then required to take actions with regards to supporting children in their coping with and mastering of their home situation and their responds to educational demands. As such, schools' and teachers' actions can either support affected children and fulfill a protective function or respond inappropriately, with negative impact on the affected children. Although the societal discussion about and acceptance of mental illnesses have increased in recent years, scientific knowledge on how well teachers are prepared for meeting the needs of affected students remains insufficient. Therefore, this research study examines teachers' attitudes towards, knowledge about, and competencies regarding children affected by a mentally ill parent. 15 in-depth interviews and 3 focus groups (n = 11) with teachers from primary and secondary schools were conducted and systematically analyzed. Although burdens in the family are perceived as major influences on children's school day and performance, teachers report to not feel sufficiently prepared for and uncertain about supporting and coping with the special needs of affected students. Instead they report to "learn from a case to case" basis. Recognizing the family situation of children with mentally ill parents is reported to be especially difficult for teachers. Responding inadequately and insensitive to the needs of affected children was perceived as a serious burden for teachers themselves. While schools can function as entry points to professional social help systems, teachers frequently reported barriers and challenges in accessing, communicating, and collaborating with these systems. The practical implications of these results regarding the "Mental Health

Undergraduate nursing students' attitudes toward mental health nursing.

Science.gov (United States)

Thongpriwan, Vipavee; Leuck, Susan E; Powell, Rhonda L; Young, Staci; Schuler, Suzanne G; Hughes, Ronda G

2015-08-01

The purpose of this study was to describe undergraduate nursing students' attitudes toward mental health nursing and how these attitudes influenced their professional career choices in mental health nursing. A descriptive, online survey was utilized to examine students' perceptions of mental health nursing. A total of 229 junior and senior nursing students were recruited from eight nursing colleges in Midwestern United States to participate in this survey. Students of different ages, genders, ethnicities, and nursing programs did not report significantly different perceptions of: (a) knowledge of mental illness; (b) negative stereotypes; (c) interest in mental health nursing as a future career; and (d), and beliefs that psychiatric nurses provide a valuable contribution to consumers and the community. Negative stereotypes were significantly different between students who had mental health nursing preparation either in class (p=0.0147) or in clinical practice (p=0.0018) and students who had not. There were significant differences in anxiety about mental illness between students who had classes on mental health nursing (p=.0005), clinical experience (p=0.0035), and work experience in the mental health field (p=0.0012). Significant differences in an interest in a future career in mental health nursing emerged between students with and without prior mental health experience and between students with and without an interest in an externship program with p-values of 0.0012 and students have to mental health nursing through clinical experiences, theory classes, and previous work in the field, the more prepared they feel about caring for persons with mental health issues. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Mobile Health for Mental Health in West Africa: The Case for Ghana.

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Ben-Zeev, Dror

2018-03-15

Although underdeveloped in mental health care, the sub-Saharan country of Ghana is advanced in telecommunications. In this context, innovative mobile health (mHealth) approaches may help to overcome limited infrastructure (lack of clinics, trained professionals, and landlines) and to address significant unmet public mental health needs. The Technology in Mental Health editor reports on travels to Ghana to assess the viability of mHealth for mental health initiatives in the region. He found that stakeholders from all sectors (patients, providers, government officials, and traditional and faith healers) were open to exploring whether mHealth approaches could promote more humane care, reduce human rights violations, and improve the clinical outcomes of those in need. mHealth strategies that use audio and video content to overcome barriers associated with limited literacy may be most suitable. To succeed, any mHealth model must be culturally and contextually adapted to fit the needs, beliefs, and capacities of Ghanaian users.

Partnership in mental health and child welfare: social work responses to children living with parental mental illness.

Science.gov (United States)

Sheehan, Rosemary

2004-01-01

Mental illness is an issue for a number of families reported to child protection agencies. Parents with mental health problems are more vulnerable, as are their children, to having parenting and child welfare concerns. A recent study undertaken in the Melbourne Children's Court (Victoria, Australia) found that the children of parents with mental health problems comprised just under thirty percent of all new child protection applications brought to the Court and referred to alternative dispute resolution, during the first half of 1998. This paper reports on the study findings, which are drawn from a descriptive survey of 228 Pre-Hearing Conferences. A data collection schedule was completed for each case, gathering information about the child welfare concerns, the parents' problems, including mental health problems, and the contribution by mental health professionals to resolving child welfare concerns. The study found that the lack of involvement by mental health social workers in the child protection system meant the Children's Court was given little appreciation of either a child's emotional or a parent's mental health functioning. The lack of effective cooperation between the adult mental health and child protection services also meant decisions made about these children were made without full information about the needs and the likely outcomes for these children and their parents. This lack of interagency cooperation between mental health social work and child welfare also emerged in the findings of the Icarus project, a cross-national project, led by Brunel University, in England. This project compared the views and responses of mental health and child welfare social workers to the dependent children of mentally ill parents, when there were child protection concerns. It is proposed that adult mental health social workers involve themselves in the assessment of, and interventions in, child welfare cases when appropriate, and share essential information about

Greek mental health reform: views and perceptions of professionals and service users.

Science.gov (United States)

Loukidou, E; Mastroyiannakis, A; Power, T; Craig, T; Thornicroft, G; Bouras, N

2013-01-01

The Greek mental health system has been undergoing radical reforms for over the past twenty years. In congruence with trends and practices in other European countries, Greek mental health reforms were designed to develop a community-based mental health service system. The implementation of an extensive transformation became possible through the "Psychargos" program, a national strategic and operational plan, which was developed by the Ministry of Health and Social Solidarity. The Psychargos program was jointly funded by the European Union by 75% of the cost over a period of 5 years and the Greek State. After the period of 5 years, the entire cost of the new services became the responsibility of the Greek National Budget. Over the years the Psychargos program became almost synonymous with the deinstitutionalisation of long term psychiatric patients with the development of a wide range of community mental health services. The Psychargos program ended in December 2009. This article presents the views of service providers and service users as part an ex-post evaluation of the Psychargos program carried out in 2010. Data derived for this part of the evaluation are from the application of the qualitative method of focus groups. The outcomes of the study identified several positive and noteworthy achievements by the reforms of the Greek mental health system as well as weaknesses. There was considerable similarity of the views expressed by both focus groups. In addition the service users' focus group emphasized more issues related to improving their mental health wellbeing and living a satisfying, hopeful, and contributing life.

Helping older adults to help themselves: the role of mental health literacy in family members.

Science.gov (United States)

White, Margaret; Casey, Leanne

2017-11-01

Family members may play an important role in the health and well-being of older adults. However, little is known about the factors that influence the likelihood of family members supporting older relatives to seek help from mental health professionals for mental health concerns. Mental health literacy is associated with people's help-seeking intentions regarding their own mental health concerns, and some studies have suggested it may play a role in help-seeking on behalf of others. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether mental health literacy is associated with adults' likelihood of supporting an older relative to seek professional help for mental health concerns. Two hundred and sixty-three participants completed a measure of mental health literacy and responded to a hypothetical scenario by indicating their likelihood of supporting an older relative experiencing mental health problems to seek help from various sources. Mental health literacy was positively associated with intentions to support older relative's help-seeking. Interventions to increase the mental health literacy of the relatives of older adults may lead to additional support for older adults' help-seeking for mental health concerns.

Terrorism and mental health in the rural Midwest.

Science.gov (United States)

Hawley, Suzanne R; Ablah, Elizabeth; Hawley, Gary C; Cook, David J; Orr, Shirley A; Molgaard, Craig A

2006-01-01

Since the terrorist attacks of 11 September 2001, the amount of terrorism preparedness training has increased substantially. However, gaps continue to exist in training for the mental health casualties that result from such events. Responders must be aware of the mental health effects of terrorism and how to prepare for and buffer these effects. However, the degree to which responders possess or value this knowledge has not been studied. Multi-disciplinary terrorism preparedness training for healthcare professionals was conducted in Kansas in 2003. In order to assess knowledge and attitudes related to mental health preparedness training, post-test surveys were provided to 314 respondents 10 months after completion of the training. Respondents returned 197 completed surveys for an analysis response rate of 63%. In general, the results indicated that respondents have knowledge of and value the importance of mental health preparedness issues. The respondents who reported greater knowledge or value of mental health preparedness also indicated significantly higher ability levels in nationally recognized bioterrorism competencies (p mental health components to be incorporated into terrorism preparedness training. Further studies to determine the most effective mental health preparedness training content and instruction modalities are needed.

Natural disaster and mental health in Asia.

Science.gov (United States)

Kokai, Masahiro; Fujii, Senta; Shinfuku, Naotaka; Edwards, Glen

2004-04-01

The purpose of the present article was to review the literature on disaster mental health in relation to natural disasters such as earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, typhoons and cyclones throughout Asia. Articles reviewed show that disaster psychiatry in Asia is beginning to emerge from and leave behind the stigma attached to mental health. The emergence of the acceptance of disaster mental health throughout Asia can be attributed in part to the acceptance of the notion of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). This has allowed greater involvement of mental health professionals in providing ongoing support to survivors of natural disasters as well as providing greater opportunities for further research. Also, articles reviewed in the present paper commonly suggested the need for using standardized diagnostic tools for PTSD to appropriately interpret the discrepancy of results among studies. The importance of post-disaster support services and cultural differences is highlighted.

Consumer-providers of care for adult clients of statutory mental health services.

Science.gov (United States)

Pitt, Veronica; Lowe, Dianne; Hill, Sophie; Prictor, Megan; Hetrick, Sarah E; Ryan, Rebecca; Berends, Lynda

2013-03-28

In mental health services, the past several decades has seen a slow but steady trend towards employment of past or present consumers of the service to work alongside mental health professionals in providing services. However the effects of this employment on clients (service recipients) and services has remained unclear.We conducted a systematic review of randomised trials assessing the effects of employing consumers of mental health services as providers of statutory mental health services to clients. In this review this role is called 'consumer-provider' and the term 'statutory mental health services' refers to public services, those required by statute or law, or public services involving statutory duties. The consumer-provider's role can encompass peer support, coaching, advocacy, case management or outreach, crisis worker or assertive community treatment worker, or providing social support programmes. To assess the effects of employing current or past adult consumers of mental health services as providers of statutory mental health services. We searched the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL, The Cochrane Library 2012, Issue 3), MEDLINE (OvidSP) (1950 to March 2012), EMBASE (OvidSP) (1988 to March 2012), PsycINFO (OvidSP) (1806 to March 2012), CINAHL (EBSCOhost) (1981 to March 2009), Current Contents (OvidSP) (1993 to March 2012), and reference lists of relevant articles. Randomised controlled trials of current or past consumers of mental health services employed as providers ('consumer-providers') in statutory mental health services, comparing either: 1) consumers versus professionals employed to do the same role within a mental health service, or 2) mental health services with and without consumer-providers as an adjunct to the service. Two review authors independently selected studies and extracted data. We contacted trialists for additional information. We conducted analyses using a random-effects model, pooling studies that measured

South Africans in flux: Exploring the mental health impact of ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

In the context of post-apartheid South Africa mental health professionals are increasingly faced with the complexities linked to people leaving the country, those left behind and those returning. In an attempt to illustrate the mental health challenges linked to the South African migration phenomenon, this article will firstly ...

Factors affecting job satisfaction of Aboriginal mental health workers working in community mental health in rural and remote New South Wales.

Science.gov (United States)

Cosgrave, Catherine; Maple, Myfanwy; Hussain, Rafat

2017-12-01

Objective The aim of the present study was to identify factors affecting the job satisfaction and subsequent retention of Aboriginal mental health workers (AMHWs). Methods Five AMHWs working in New South Wales (NSW) for NSW Health in rural and remote community mental health (CMH) services participated in in-depth, semi-structured interviews to understand how employment and rural living factors affected workers' decisions to stay or leave their CMH positions. Results Using a constructivist grounded theory analysis, three aspects negatively impacting the job satisfaction of AMHWs were identified: (1) difficulties being accepted into the team and organisation; (2) culturally specific work challenges; and (3) professional differences and inequality. Conclusions Policy and procedural changes to the AMHW training program may address the lower remuneration and limited career opportunities identified with regard to the Bachelor Health Sciences (Mental Health) qualification. Delivering training to increase levels of understanding about the AMHW training program, and cultural awareness generally, to CMH staff and NSW Health management may assist in addressing the negative team, organisational and cultural issues identified. What is known about the topic? The Bachelor Health Sciences (Mental Health) qualification and traineeship pathway undertaken by AMHWs differs significantly from that of other health professionals working in NSW Health's CMH services. The health workforce literature identifies that each health professional group has its own culture and specific values and that forming and maintaining a profession-specific identity is an extremely important aspect of job satisfaction for health workers. What does the paper add? AMHWs working in rural and remote NSW CMH services commonly experience low levels of job satisfaction, especially while undertaking the embedded training program. Of particular concern is the health sciences qualification not translating into NSW

Development and Validation of a Scale Assessing Mental Health Clinicians' Experiences of Associative Stigma.

Science.gov (United States)

Yanos, Philip T; Vayshenker, Beth; DeLuca, Joseph S; O'Connor, Lauren K

2017-10-01

Mental health professionals who work with people with serious mental illnesses are believed to experience associative stigma. Evidence suggests that associative stigma could play an important role in the erosion of empathy among professionals; however, no validated measure of the construct currently exists. This study examined the convergent and discriminant validity and factor structure of a new scale assessing the associative stigma experiences of clinicians working with people with serious mental illnesses. A total of 473 clinicians were recruited from professional associations in the United States and participated in an online study. Participants completed the Clinician Associative Stigma Scale (CASS) and measures of burnout, quality of care, expectations about recovery, and self-efficacy. Associative stigma experiences were commonly endorsed; eight items on the 18-item scale were endorsed as being experienced "sometimes" or "often" by over 50% of the sample. The new measure demonstrated a logical four-factor structure: "negative stereotypes about professional effectiveness," "discomfort with disclosure," "negative stereotypes about people with mental illness," and "stereotypes about professionals' mental health." The measure had good internal consistency. It was significantly related to measures of burnout and quality of care, but it was not related to measures of self-efficacy or expectations about recovery. Findings suggest that the CASS is internally consistent and shows evidence of convergent validity and that associative stigma is commonly experienced by mental health professionals who work with people with serious mental illnesses.

Rural mental health workforce difficulties: a management perspective.

Science.gov (United States)

Moore, T; Sutton, K; Maybery, D

2010-01-01

The recruitment, retention and training of mental health workers is of major concern in rural Australia, and the Gippsland region of Victoria is no exception. Previous studies have identified a number of common factors in these workforce difficulties, including rurality, difficulties of access to professional development and training, and professional and personal isolation. However, those previous studies have often focused on medicine and been based on the perspectives of practitioners, and have almost ignored the perspectives of managers of rural mental health services. The study reported in this article sought to contribute to the development of a more sustainable and effective regional mental health workforce by complementing earlier insights with those of leading administrators, managers and senior clinicians in the field. The study took a qualitative approach. It conducted semi-structured in-person interviews with 24 managers of health/mental-health services and senior administrators and clinicians working in organisations of varying sizes in the public and private sectors. Thematic content analysis of the transcribed interviews identified core difficulties these managers experienced in the recruitment, retention and training of employees. The study found that some of the issues commonly resulting in difficulties in recruiting, retaining and developing a trained workforce in rural areas, such as rurality (implying personal and professional isolation, distances to deliver service and small organisations) and a general shortage of trained personnel, are significant in Gippsland. Through its focus on the perspectives of leaders in the management of rural mental health services, however, the study found other key issues that contribute to workforce difficulties. Many, including the unattractive nature of mental health work, the fragmented administration of the mental health system, short-term and tied funding, and shortcomings in training are external to

Predictors of teachers' intention to refer students with ADHD to mental health professionals: comparison of U.S. and South Korea.

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Lee, Ji-yeon

2014-12-01

A teacher's intention to refer students to mental health professionals is important to the early identification of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and prevention of further problems. The theory of planned behavior (TPB) was used to determine the strongest belief-related predictors of a teacher's intentions to refer students with ADHD symptoms to a mental health professional in the U.S. and South Korea. Perceived stigma and knowledge of ADHD were additional predictors in examining the role of culture in a teacher's perceptions of the public's stigma toward ADHD and a teachers' knowledge of ADHD. Cross-cultural differences exist. U.S. teachers' (n = 235) intentions to refer were predicted by all TPB variables (i.e., attitudes about referral, beliefs about whether important others would approve of making a referral, and perceived behavioral control in making a referral). However, among South Korean teachers (n = 144), behavioral control and perceived stigma were the only predictors. The results imply the importance of considering the cultural context in understanding a teacher's referral behaviors. PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2014 APA, all rights reserved.

Recovery orientation in mental health inpatient settings

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Waldemar, Anna Kristine; Esbensen, Bente Appel; Korsbek, Lisa

2018-01-01

Offering mental health treatment in line with a recovery-oriented practice has become an objective in the mental health services in many countries. However, applying recovery-oriented practice in inpatient settings seems challenged by unclear and diverging definitions of the concept......-structured interviews were conducted with 14 inpatients from two mental health inpatient wards using an interview guide based on factors from the Recovery Self-Assessment. Qualitative content analysis was applied in the analysis. Six themes covering the participants’ experiences were identified. The participants felt...... accepted and protected in the ward and found comfort in being around other people but missed talking and engaging with health professionals. They described limited choice and influence on the course of their treatment, and low information levels regarding their treatment, which they considered to consist...

Developing a Mental Health eClinic to Improve Access to and Quality of Mental Health Care for Young People: Using Participatory Design as Research Methodologies.

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Ospina-Pinillos, Laura; Davenport, Tracey A; Ricci, Cristina S; Milton, Alyssa C; Scott, Elizabeth M; Hickie, Ian B

2018-05-28

Each year, many young Australians aged between 16 and 25 years experience a mental health disorder, yet only a small proportion access services and even fewer receive timely and evidence-based treatments. Today, with ever-increasing access to the Internet and use of technology, the potential to provide all young people with access (24 hours a day, 7 days a week) to the support they require to improve their mental health and well-being is promising. The aim of this study was to use participatory design (PD) as research methodologies with end users (young people aged between 16 and 25 years and youth health professionals) and our research team to develop the Mental Health eClinic (a Web-based mental health clinic) to improve timely access to, and better quality, mental health care for young people across Australia. A research and development (R&D) cycle for the codesign and build of the Mental Health eClinic included several iterative PD phases: PD workshops; translation of knowledge and ideas generated during workshops to produce mockups of webpages either as hand-drawn sketches or as wireframes (simple layout of a webpage before visual design and content is added); rapid prototyping; and one-on-one consultations with end users to assess the usability of the alpha build of the Mental Health eClinic. Four PD workshops were held with 28 end users (young people n=18, youth health professionals n=10) and our research team (n=8). Each PD workshop was followed by a knowledge translation session. At the conclusion of this cycle, the alpha prototype was built, and one round of one-on-one end user consultation sessions was conducted (n=6; all new participants, young people n=4, youth health professionals n=2). The R&D cycle revealed the importance of five key components for the Mental Health eClinic: a home page with a visible triage system for those requiring urgent help; a comprehensive online physical and mental health assessment; a detailed dashboard of results; a

Occupational balance in health professionals in Sweden.

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Wagman, Petra; Lindmark, Ulrika; Rolander, Bo; Wåhlin, Charlotte; Håkansson, Carita

2017-01-01

Health care employees are often women, a group that has high degrees of sick leave and perhaps problems attaining occupational balance. However, people think differently about their everyday activities and it is therefore important to take their perceptions into account but occupational balance has not yet been measured in health professionals. The aim was to describe occupational balance in three different samples of health professionals in Sweden. A further aim was to investigate whether occupational therapists (OTs) rate their occupational balance differently from other health professionals. Four hundred and eighty-two health professionals, employees in public dentistry, mental health care and OTs, aged 21-70 years participated. The participants' occupational balance was measured using the occupational balance questionnaire (OBQ). The ratings of occupational balance were similar to earlier studies and did not differ significantly between the samples. The OTs' occupational balance was also similar to that of the other health professionals. The similarities in occupational balance indicate the same difficulties in attaining it. The result highlights the possibility that working people face similar difficulties in achieving occupational balance. Further research is warranted about how to attain it.

Coparenting after marital dissolution and children's mental health: a systematic review

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Diogo Lamela

2016-07-01

Conclusions: The integrated analysis of these studies suggests that coparenting is a key mechanism within the family system for the prediction of child mental health after marital dissolution, and thus, it is recommended that pediatricians, psychologists, and other health professionals consider coparenting as a psychosocial variable for children's mental health assessment and diagnosis.

An Exploration of Factors that Effect the Implementation of Peer Support Services in Community Mental Health Settings.

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Mancini, Michael A

2018-02-01

This study explored the integration of peer services into community mental health settings through qualitative interviews with peer-providers and non-peer mental health workers. Results show peer job satisfaction was contingent upon role clarity, autonomy, and acceptance by non-peer coworkers. Mental health workers reported the need for organizational support for peer services and guidance about how to utilize peers, negotiate their professional boundaries and accommodate their mental health needs. Effective peer integration requires organizational readiness, staff preparation and clear policies and procedures. Consultation from consumer-based organizations, enhanced professional competencies, and professional development and career advancement opportunities for peers represent important resources.

Mental health nursing in Jordan: an investigation into experience, work stress and organizational support.

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Hamdan-Mansour, Ayman M; Al-Gamal, Ekhlas; Puskar, Kathryn; Yacoub, Mohammad; Marini, Anita

2011-04-01

Changes in mental health services have an impact on the role and practice of mental health nurses. The purpose of this study was to examine Jordanian mental health nurses' experiences of providing mental health care, their work-related stress, and organizational support received. A descriptive correlation design was used. Data were collected using self-report questionnaires from 92 mental health nurses in Jordan. The result of this study revealed that mental health nurses shared a high level of agreement on the importance of most nursing tasks. Mental health nurses reported a moderate level of stress, with a lack of resources and relationship and conflict with other professionals being the most frequent stressors. Nurses perceived a low level of support for their work from their supervisors. Work stress and conflict with other professionals had a significant, negative correlation with the perception the nurses had of their immediate supervisors (r = -0.29, P work stress, organizational support, and the nurses' age, sex, or level of education. This study has clinical implications in terms of developing strategies for reducing stress and improving organizational support among mental health nurses, and it should help in future research. © 2011 The Authors. International Journal of Mental Health Nursing © 2011 Australian College of Mental Health Nurses Inc.

Mental Health Consultation Among Ontario's Immigrant Populations.

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Islam, Farah; Khanlou, Nazilla; Macpherson, Alison; Tamim, Hala

2017-11-16

To determine the prevalence rates and characteristics of past-year mental health consultation for Ontario's adult (18 + years old) immigrant populations. The Canadian Community Health Survey (CCHS) 2012 was used to calculate the prevalence rates of past-year mental health consultation by service provider type. Characteristics associated with mental health consultation were determined by carrying out multivariable logistic regression analysis on merged CCHS 2008-2012 data. Adult immigrant populations in Ontario (n = 3995) had lower estimated prevalence rates of past-year mental health consultation across all service provider types compared to Canadian-born populations (n = 14,644). Amongst those who reported past-year mental health consultation, 57.89% of Ontario immigrants contacted their primary care physician, which was significantly higher than the proportion who consulted their family doctor from Canadian-born populations (45.31%). The factors of gender, age, racial/ethnic background, education level, working status, food insecurity status, self-perceived health status, smoking status, alcohol drinking status, years since immigration, and age at time of immigration were significantly associated with past-year mental health consultation for immigrant populations. Ontario's adult immigrant populations most commonly consult their family doctor for mental health care. Potential exists for expanding the mental health care role of primary care physicians as well as efforts to increase accessibility of specialized mental health services. Integrated, coordinated care where primary care physicians, specialized mental health professionals, social workers, and community educators, etc. working together in a sort of "one-stop-shop" may be the most effective way to mitigate gaps in the mental health care system. In order to effectively tailor mental health policy, programming, and promotion to suit the needs of immigrant populations initiatives that focus on

Mental health and behaviour of students of public health and their correlation with social support: a cross-sectional study

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Bíró Éva

2011-11-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Future public health professionals are especially important among students partly because their credibility in light of their professional messages and activities will be tested daily by their clients; and partly because health professionals' own lifestyle habits influence their attitudes and professional activities. A better understanding of public health students' health and its determinants is necessary for improving counselling services and tailoring them to demand. Our aim was to survey public health students' health status and behaviour with a focus on mental health. Methods A cross-sectional study was carried out among public health students at 1-5-years (N = 194 with a self-administered questionnaire that included standardized items on demographic data, mental wellbeing characterized by sense of coherence (SoC and psychological morbidity, as well as health behaviour and social support. Correlations between social support and the variables for mental health, health status and health behaviour were characterized by pairwise correlation. Results The response rate was 75% and represented students by study year, sex and age in the Faculty. Nearly half of the students were non-smokers, more than one quarter smoked daily. Almost one-fifth of the students suffered from notable psychological distress. The proportion of these students decreased from year 1 to 5. The mean score for SoC was 60.1 and showed an increasing trend during the academic years. 29% of the students lacked social support from their student peers. Significant positive correlation was revealed between social support and variables for mental health. Psychological distress was greater among female public health students than in the same age female group of the general population; whereas the lack of social support was a more prevalent problem among male students. Conclusions Health status and behaviour of public health students is similar to their non

Características do cuidado em saúde mental em um CAPS na perspectiva dos profissionais Characteristics of mental health care in a CAPS from the perspective of the professionals

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Fernanda Barreto Mielke

2011-10-01

Full Text Available Neste estudo qualitativo, subprojeto da pesquisa "Avaliação dos CAPSs da região sul do Brasil", temos o objetivo de conhecer as características do cuidado em saúde mental oferecido por um centro de atenção psicossocial (CAPS na perspectiva de seus profissionais. A coleta de dados foi realizada por meio de entrevistas individuais. Utilizou-se a análise temática, emergindo dos dados três temáticas. Neste artigo, destacamos a temática intitulada 'caracterização do cuidado em saúde mental prestado pelos profissionais do CAPS'. As características do cuidado em saúde mental advindas das entrevistas foram autonomia do usuário, que, juntamente com a questão da alta do serviço, deve ser mais desenvolvida; atendimento centrado especificamente na doença como herança do tratamento hospitalar; e preocupação da equipe com a implementação de práticas psicossociais inclusivas e cidadãs.In this qualitative study, a sub-project of the "Evaluation of CAPSs in Southern Brazil" research project, the goal is to get to know the characteristics of mental health care offered by a psychosocial care center (CAPS in view of its professionals. Data collection was conducted through individual interviews. Thematic analysis was used, and three themes stemmed from the data. In this article, we highlight the theme titled 'characterization of the mental health care provided by the CAPS professionals.' The characteristics of mental health care noticed in the interviews were user autonomy, which, together with the issue of discharge from the service, should be further developed; care focused specifically on the disease as a legacy of hospital care; and the team's concern with the implementation of inclusive psychosocial practices.

Integrating a Patient-Controlled Admission Program Into Mental Health Hospital Service: A Multicenter Grounded Theory Study

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Ellegaard, Trine; Bliksted, Vibeke Fuglsang; Mehlsen, Mimi Yung

2018-01-01

Patient-controlled admissions (PCAs) enable mental health patients by means of a contract to initiate an admission at a mental health hospital unit without using traditional admission procedures. This study was part of a 3-year Danish multicenter project, and we explored how mental health...... the mental health professionals strived to integrate PCA into clinical practice. The process was motivated by the idea of establishing a partnership with patients and involved two interrelated strategies to manage (a) the patient-related duties and (b) the admission contracts. The professionals moved from...

Mental health needs and availability of mental health care for children and adolescents with intellectual disability in Berlin.

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Soltau, B; Biedermann, J; Hennicke, K; Fydrich, T

2015-11-01

The increased risk of mental health problems in children and adolescents with intellectual disability (ID) has been reported in several studies. However, almost no research has been conducted on parents' experiences with the general mental health system. We have investigated the prevalence of emotional and behavioural problems in children with ID as well as the availability and quality of mental health care from the parents' point of view. Teachers of specialised schools for ID in Berlin were asked to complete the Teacher's Report Form (TRF) of the Child Behavior Checklist. Information was collected for 1226 children and adolescents aged 6-18 years with mild to profound ID (response 70.5%). The availability and quality of mental health care was assessed by a questionnaire given to parents who had already been seeking help for their children. A total of 330 parents completed the questionnaires (response 62.0%). In addition to univariate analysis, we conducted multiple logistic regressions regarding the psychopathology reported by teachers (TRF-syndrome scales) and difficulties concerning mental health care reported by parents for a paired sample of 308 children. Overall, 52.4% of the children and adolescents with ID had a total problem score on the TRF in the deviant range (47.1% when eliminating four items reflecting cognitive deficits). Compared with the general population normative sample of children, this is a three-time higher prevalence. The most striking problems were thought problems (schizoid and obsessive-compulsive), aggressive behaviour, attention problems and social problems. Parents whose children had more severe behavioural or emotional dysfunction reported more difficulties with the mental health system. From the parents' point of view, mental health professionals frequently did not feel responsible or were not sufficiently skilled for the treatment of children with ID. As a consequence, 96% of all parents were longing for specialised in- and