Teaching about Prevention and Intervention: A Mental Health Curriculum Module

1998 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 129-142
Author(s):  
Sally Cramer Speer
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Juvenile Offenders ◽  
Social Work Students ◽  
Specific Context ◽  
Health Curriculum ◽  
Client Change ◽  
Working Together ◽  
Professional Perspectives ◽  
Generalist Practice ◽  
Practice Methods

Social Work students studying generalist practice methods will benefit from experiential classroom experiences that focus on the “person-in-environment” perspective. Henggeler's research with serious juvenile offenders and their families provides a vehicle for examining practice interventions that incorporate systems theory and client empowerment, and celebrates the diversity of varied professional perspectives working together to help facilitate client change. This module offers an instructional approach that asks students to think critically regarding the most effective and efficient interventions available within a specific context.

scholarly journals Depression, anxiety, and drug usage history indicators among institutionalized juvenile offenders of Brasilia

2021 ◽  
Vol 34 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Manuella C. da Silva ◽  
Antonio Pedro M. Cruz ◽  
Maria O. Teixeira
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Drug Abuse ◽  
Juvenile Offenders ◽  
Crack Cocaine ◽  
Severe Depression ◽  
Federal District ◽  
Addictive Behaviors ◽  
Drug Usage ◽  
Hard Drugs ◽  
Severe Anxiety

Abstract Introduction One of the most serious socio-educational measures for children and adolescents in conflict with the law in Brazil is their internment. This measure may represent an additional source of stress to this population and present significant impacts in the mental health context. This study aims to describe anxiety levels, depression, and addictive consumption, as well as to estimate the causalities and interactions of these variables. Methods Herein, we report a study in which 175 male juveniles from youth detention institutions of the Federal District voluntarily completed the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), the Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), and a short self-rating questionnaire asking whether and how often they had experienced cannabis, alcohol, and other “hard” psychotropic drugs (e.g., crack, cocaine, amphetamine) 1 year prior to institutionalization. Results Of the total participants, 28.00% showed moderate to severe depression scores and 34.28% showed moderate to severe anxiety scores. In addition, the vast majority of participants also reported some antecedent drug abuse, including cannabis, alcohol, and other “hard drugs.” The BDI scores moderately correlated with BAI, but none of these parameters considerably correlated with the antecedent drug abuse. Conclusions The data indicate potentially concerning levels of emotional distress in these institutionalized juveniles which seem to be independent of addictive behaviors. These data deserve attention and further investigation. Thus, a need for preventative mental health for the general population and socio-educational intervention aimed at interned youth which can decrease levels of emotional stress is emphasized.

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