A Program to Educate School Nurses About Mental Health Interventions

2002 ◽  
Vol 18 (4) ◽  
pp. 191-195 ◽  
Author(s):  
Janis Hootman ◽  
Gail M. Houck ◽  
Mary Catherine King
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Support Groups ◽  
School Health ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Social Withdrawal ◽  
Health Problems ◽  
School Nurses ◽  
Practice Improvement ◽  
Introductory Article ◽  
The Impact

Concerned with the increasing incidence of mental health problems in children and adolescents and the impact of these problems on students’ school success and predisposition to self- and other-directed violence, the Multnomah Education Service District Department of School Health Services determined to become proactive by providing preventive interventions for students experiencing actual or potential mental health problems. An educational program was designed to assist school nurses in the identification of potential mental health problems. In addition, information about appropriate interventions for students at risk for aggression, violence, and other mental health pathology was presented. The program involved education on mental health assessment and intervention, as well as expert psychiatric clinical support for the development of student support groups. School nurses were then challenged to develop practice improvement projects incorporating this knowledge for a group of students in their work setting. This introductory article describes the project’s general rationale and implementation process. The four articles following in this issue of The Journal of School Nursing describe the goals, implementation, and outcomes of the practice improvement projects developed for early intervention with students exhibiting attention disorders, school absenteeism, social withdrawal, and depression.

A Program to Educate School Nurses About Mental Health Interventions

2002 ◽  
Vol 18 (4) ◽  
pp. 191-195 ◽  
Author(s):  
Janis Hootman ◽  
Gail M. Houck ◽  
Mary Catherine King
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Support Groups ◽  
School Health ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Social Withdrawal ◽  
Health Problems ◽  
School Nurses ◽  
Practice Improvement ◽  
Introductory Article ◽  
The Impact

Concerned with the increasing incidence of mental health problems in children and adolescents and the impact of these problems on students’ school success and predisposition to self- and other-directed violence, the Multnomah Education Service District Department of School Health Services determined to become proactive by providing preventive interventions for students experiencing actual or potential mental health problems. An educational program was designed to assist school nurses in the identification of potential mental health problems. In addition, information about appropriate interventions for students at risk for aggression, violence, and other mental health pathology was presented. The program involved education on mental health assessment and intervention, as well as expert psychiatric clinical support for the development of student support groups. School nurses were then challenged to develop practice improvement projects incorporating this knowledge for a group of students in their work setting. This introductory article describes the project’s general rationale and implementation process. The four articles following in this issue of The Journal of School Nursing describe the goals, implementation, and outcomes of the practice improvement projects developed for early intervention with students exhibiting attention disorders, school absenteeism, social withdrawal, and depression.

Investigation of the “alternative” effects of an online support group for mental health problems among Japanese adults: A cross-sectional study (Preprint)

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Osamu Kobori ◽  
Naoki Yoshinaga
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Support Groups ◽  
Support Group ◽  
Help Seeking ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Health Problems ◽  
Online Support ◽  
Online Support Groups ◽  
Online Support Group ◽  
Usage Frequency

BACKGROUND Owing to the rapid development of social networking services, online support groups vary widely both in goal and structure. Several studies have shown the potential effectiveness of online support groups, such as reducing psychological distress (eg depression) among individuals with mental health problems. However, online support groups often do not aim at effectiveness regarding distress-relief-related outcomes. OBJECTIVE The U2plus.jp (hereinafter U2plus) is an online support group for individuals with depression; in it, people support each other in structured ways while engaging in simple cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) exercises. This study aimed to examine if usage frequency of the U2plus functions are associated with decreased stigma and increased consumer. METHODS In total, 355 U2plus users took part in an online survey. They were asked what therapy they had ever received, how often they logged into it and used each of its functions, and completed the following questionnaires: The Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), the Perceived Devaluation Discrimination Scale, and the General Help Seeking Scale. RESULTS Regarding the therapy they received, 89.3% (n=308) had been on medication for mental health problems, and 67.5% (n=233) had received psychotherapy or mental health counselling. Regarding the usage frequency, approximately 20% of the participants signed in to U2plus and used its functions more than once a week. The usage frequency of U2plus functions was not associated with perceived stigma. However, usage frequency of some functions was correlated to help seeking intentions from formal sources (eg doctors and psychologists). Moreover, 90% of the participants had a history of medication for their mental health. Additionally, the more depressed participants were, the more frequently they used U2plus. CONCLUSIONS It was suggested that online support groups may serve as an alternative treatment option for those who are already undergoing pharmacological treatment and are willing to seek help from whatever source they deem helpful.

Changes in rehabilitation actors’ mental health literacy and support to employers: An evaluation of the SEAM intervention

Work ◽  
2021 ◽  
pp. 1-9
Author(s):  
Annika Lexén ◽  
Maria Emmelin ◽  
Lars Hansson ◽  
Bengt Svensson ◽  
Susann Porter ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Health Literacy ◽  
Return To Work ◽  
Mental Health Literacy ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Health Problems ◽  
Service Users ◽  
Rehabilitation Professionals ◽  
Knowledge And Beliefs ◽  
The Impact

BACKGROUND: Lack of mental health literacy among rehabilitation professionals and employers in the return-to-work of persons with mental health problems resulted in the development of a three-day group training program, the Support to Employers from rehabilitation Actors about Mental health (SEAM) intervention. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the impact of SEAM on rehabilitation professionals’ knowledge and beliefs, attitudes, and supporting behaviors towards people with mental health problems and employers as part of the return-to-work process. METHODS: In this longitudinal study, 94 rehabilitation professionals were included. Data were collected prior to (T1), immediately after (T2) and 6 months after SEAM training (T3) using knowledge and attitude scales and a questionnaire on supporting behaviors. SEAM includes training in Mental Health First Aid, presentations and discussions on current research on work and mental health, and strategies and communication guidelines to use when meeting service users and employers as part of the return-to-work of persons with mental health problems. SEAM also includes a homepage with targeted employer information. Data were analyzed using non-parametric statistics. RESULTS: SEAM significantly increased rehabilitation professionals’ knowledge of mental health (T1-T2: z = –2.037, p = 0.042; T2-T3: z = –5.093, p = 0.001), and improved their attitudes towards persons with mental health problems (T1-T2: z = 4.984, p = 0.001). Professionals (50–60%) also estimated that they had increased their use of supporting strategies towards service users and employers. CONCLUSIONS: The study suggests that SEAM can increase mental health literacy among rehabilitation professionals and lead to a greater focus on service users’ resources and work ability, as well as on employers’ support needs.

scholarly journals Does the Type of Exposure to Workplace Violence Matter to Nurses’ Mental Health?

Healthcare ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 41
Author(s):  
Farinaz Havaei
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Workplace Violence ◽  
Violence Exposure ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Survey Methods ◽  
Health Problems ◽  
Cumulative Exposure ◽  
Post Traumatic Stress ◽  
Indirect Exposure ◽  
The Impact

Workplace violence is a prevalent phenomenon in healthcare, particularly among nursing professionals. Exposure to workplace violence may be direct through firsthand involvement, indirect through secondhand witnessing, or both. Even though implications for victims of workplace violence have been well-studied, less is known about the various types of exposure and their effects on nurse mental health. The purpose of this study is to examine the impact of workplace-violence exposure types on the mental health of nurses, while accounting for the intensity of the incident/s. This study employs an exploratory correlational design with survey methods. Nurses from British Columbia (BC), Canada, were invited by the provincial nurses’ union to complete an electronic survey in Fall 2019. A total of 2958 responses from direct-care nurses in acute-care settings were analyzed using logistic regression. The results showed that mental-health problems increased with cumulative exposure; even though nurses with solely indirect exposure to workplace violence did not report greater mental-health problems, those experiencing solely direct exposure, or both direct and indirect exposure, were two to four times more likely to report high levels of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety, depression and burnout compared to their counterparts with no exposure. There is an urgent need for better mental-health support, prevention policies and practices that take into account the type of workplace-violence exposure.

scholarly journals A United Kingdom Pilot Study of Kinetic Shift Therapy and Mindfulness Based Therapy for Clients Living with Intellectual Disabilities and Enduring Mental Health Problems

2021 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Collins-McGroarty J ◽  
Faulkes-Sharrock E ◽  
Wilkes R
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Intellectual Disabilities ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Positive Impact ◽  
Health Problems ◽  
Behavioral Issues ◽  
Client Group ◽  
Sensitive Topics ◽  
Kinetic Shift ◽  
The Impact

Objective: Clients with moderate intellectual disabilities are reported to struggle with ongoing mental health problems, especially around emotional and behavioral issues around sensitive topics like their sexuality, which is not always easy to communicate through traditional talking therapies for this client group, therefore a group of individuals were selected to determine the impact of a newer energy psychotherapy technique called Kinetic Shift Therapy (KS) alongside Mindfulness based therapy (MBT) which is utilized more, however with limited published research to determine the positive impact on the symptoms and behaviors that affect this client group.

scholarly journals The impact of COVID-19 on the mental health of Canadian children and youth

FACETS ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 6 ◽  
pp. 1628-1648
Author(s):  
Tracy Vaillancourt ◽  
Peter Szatmari ◽  
Katholiki Georgiades ◽  
Amanda Krygsman
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Population Based ◽  
Health Problems ◽  
Stepped Care ◽  
Children And Youth ◽  
Accurate Information ◽  
Coordinated Care ◽  
Significant Impairment ◽  
The Impact

Children and youth flourish in environments that are predictable, safe, and structured. The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted these protective factors making it difficult for children and youth to adapt and thrive. Pandemic-related school closures, family stress, and trauma have led to increases in mental health problems in some children and youth, an area of health that was already in crisis well before COVID-19 was declared a global pandemic. Because mental health problems early in life are associated with significant impairment across family, social, and academic domains, immediate measures are needed to mitigate the potential for long-term sequalae. Now more than ever, Canada needs a national mental health strategy that is delivered in the context in which children and youth are most easily accessible—schools. This strategy should provide coordinated care across sectors in a stepped care framework and across a full continuum of mental health supports spanning promotion, prevention, early intervention, and treatment. In parallel, we must invest in a comprehensive population-based follow-up of Statistics Canada’s Canadian Health Survey on Children and Youth so that accurate information about how the pandemic is affecting all Canadian children and youth can be obtained. It is time the Canadian government prioritizes the mental health of children and youth in its management of the pandemic and beyond.

scholarly journals Microaggressions towards people affected by mental health problems: a scoping review

2019 ◽  
Vol 29 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Barber ◽  
P. C. Gronholm ◽  
S. Ahuja ◽  
N. Rüsch ◽  
G. Thornicroft
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Illness ◽  
Scoping Review ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Negative Impact ◽  
Racial Microaggressions ◽  
Health Problems ◽  
Inclusion Criteria ◽  
Thematic Synthesis ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Aims This review aims to understand the scope of the literature regarding mental health-related microaggressions towards people affected by mental health problems. Methods A scoping review was conducted to explore this question. Four electronic health-oriented databases were searched alongside Google Scholar. As per scoping review principles, the inclusion criteria were developed iteratively. The results of included studies were synthesised using a basic narrative synthesis approach, utilising principles of thematic analysis and thematic synthesis where appropriate. Results A total of 1196 records were identified, of which 17 met inclusion criteria. Of these, 12 were peer-reviewed journal articles, three were research degree theses and two were book chapters. Six included empirical studies were qualitative, four were quantitative and two employed a mixed-methods design. Within these, five qualitative studies aimed to describe the nature of mental health microaggressions experienced by people with mental health problems. Themes identified in a thematic synthesis of these five studies included stereotypes about mental illness, invalidating peoples' experience and blaming people with mental illness for their condition. The included publications informed on the perpetration of mental health microaggressions by family, friends, health professionals and social workers. In addition, two studies created scales, which were then used in cross-sectional surveys of the general public and community members to assess characteristics, such as right-wing political views, associated with endorsement of mental health microaggressions. A consensus definition of microaggressions emerged from the included studies: microaggressions are brief, everyday slights, snubs or insults, that may be subtle or ambiguous, but communicate a negative message to a target person based on their membership of a marginalised group, in this case, people affected by mental illness. Conclusions The study of mental health microaggressions is an emerging, heterogeneous field, embedded in the wider stigma and discrimination literature. It has been influenced by earlier work on racial microaggressions. Both can be ambiguous and contradictory, which creates difficulty defining the boundaries of the concept, but also underpins the key theoretical basis for the negative impact of microaggressions. Mental illness is a more concealable potential type of identity, so it follows that the reported perpetrators of microaggressions are largely friends, family and professionals. This has implications for intervening to reduce the impact of microaggressions. There are several challenges facing research in this area, and further work is needed to understand the impact of mental health microaggressions on people affected by mental health problems.

scholarly journals 9.L. Workshop: Mental health of older people

2020 ◽  
Vol 30 (Supplement_5) ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Nursing Homes ◽  
Older People ◽  
Older Persons ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
The United States ◽  
Health Problems ◽  
European Countries ◽  
Health And Wellbeing ◽  
The Impact

Abstract The world's population is aging rapidly. Globally, the population of older people will nearly double in the next 30 years, from 12% to 22%. Unfortunately, many elderly people are often vulnerable to the development of mental health problems. Besides the development of mental disorders (such as depression) or neurological disorders (such as cognitive impairment), they often experience several health ailments and loss of functionality, which negatively impacts their mental health and wellbeing. The WHO points out that mental health problems among this group of people are under-identified by healthcare professionals and by older people and their relatives themselves, and that stigma surrounding these conditions makes people often reluctant to seek help. Therefore, more scientific research and debate is needed on mental health of older persons, especially from a public health perspective. By bringing together researchers on this domain from different countries and background, this workshop aims to contribute to the scientific insight in this topic and finally to the improvement of the mental health and wellbeing of this growing group of people. In this workshop, research findings on the prevalence of (undetected) mental health problems and the impact of organizational, social and physical conditions on these problems, among older persons, both institutionalized and not, will be presented and discussed by five researchers from different European countries. Dr. Sunwoo Lee (Czech Republic) will talk about the demographic, psychosocial, and health-related risk factors for suicidal ideation among older adults in 12 European countries. Dr. Patricia De Vriendt (Belgium) will give a presentation on the unnoticed mild cognitive problems in nursing homes in Flanders. Dr. Henriette van der Roest (the Netherlands) will show the relationship between organizational adaptions in Dutch nursing homes and cognitive improvement and quality of life among older persons with dementia. Dr. Jutta Lindert (Germany) will focus on the impact of social stress and strain on the episodic memory and executive functioning of the “Midlife in the United States (MIDUS) cohort. And finally Dr. Mauro Carta (Italy) will illustrate the positive effect of moderate physical activity on cognitive functioning and general wellbeing of older people. Key messages Mental health problems among the growing group of older people are prevalent and of different kind. More scientific insight is needed on the prevalence and determinants of these problems, in order to provide timely and adequate support and prevention.

scholarly journals Role of School Health Officers in Mental Health Care for Secondary School Students in Can Tho City, Vietnam

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (4) ◽  
pp. 801-811
Author(s):  
Dat Tan Nguyen ◽  
E. Pamela Wright ◽  
Tam Thi Pham ◽  
Joske Bunders
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Health Care ◽  
Secondary School ◽  
Mental Health Care ◽  
Secondary School Students ◽  
School Health ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Health Problems ◽  
School Students ◽  
Can Tho City

Abstract The objectives of the study were to explore the experiences of school health officers in identifying and managing mental health problems of secondary school students and to gather recommendations from the school officers for improving the effectiveness of mental health care in secondary schools in Can Tho City, Vietnam. We conducted a qualitative study based on in-depth interviews using a semi-structured guideline with 15 school health officers at 15 secondary schools in Can Tho City, Vietnam. Data were analyzed using content-driven analysis to identify recurring themes. The school health officers reported that stress, depression, suicidal ideation, and sexual orientation issues were the most commonly encountered mental health problems among their students. The officers worked with a limited range of interventions for helping these students, such as giving non-narcotic analgesics or advising students to take a short break at school or to go home. Most of them felt that their training was insufficient to deal with mental health problems in an optimal way. They recommended further training to improve their knowledge and skills in recognizing and managing mental health problems in students. They also considered a university-sponsored mental health website a good source of information on mental health care for students. School health officers reported that they did not feel well equipped to manage mental health problems because of insufficient training, lack confidence, and absence of an appropriate network for advice and referral. Updated policies and programs are needed for initial training and refresher courses, which will strengthen the role of school health officers as first line support for secondary school students with mental health problems.

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