Subjective experiences of stigma. A focus group study of schizophrenic patients, their relatives and mental health professionals

Talking about sexual feelings toward clients is still difficult for many mental health professionals. This is unfortunate, because exploring and talking about these feelings with peers (especially senior ones) or supervisors can help professionals to recognize, acknowledge, accept, and handle these feelings well. This focus group study explores the various factors that contribute to psychotherapists’ hesitancy to talk about these feelings. The analysis revealed two important impeding factors: the psychotherapists felt discomfortable and a safe environment was lacking. Young, less experienced psychotherapists and psychiatrists seemed to be most vulnerable. Furthermore, more profound sexual feelings were “disguised” in some cases by using a more acceptable narrative, such as “ intimate feelings,” which possibly also impeded acknowledgment and discussion of these feelings. These insights might help to open up the way for psychotherapists to explore and come forward with their sexual feelings and experiences.

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Informal coercion in psychiatry: a focus group study of attitudes and experiences of mental health professionals in ten countries

Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology ◽

10.1007/s00127-015-1032-3 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 50 (8) ◽

pp. 1297-1308 ◽

Cited By ~ 27

Author(s):

Emanuele Valenti ◽

Ciara Banks ◽

Alfredo Calcedo-Barba ◽

Cécile M. Bensimon ◽

Karin-Maria Hoffmann ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Focus Group ◽

Mental Health Professionals ◽

Health Professionals ◽

Focus Group Study ◽

Informal Coercion

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Different forms of informal coercion in psychiatry – a qualitative study

10.21203/rs.2.17476/v1 ◽

2019 ◽

Author(s):

Veikko Pelto-Piri ◽

Lars Kjellin ◽

Ulrika Hylén ◽

Emanuele Valenti ◽

Stefan Priebe

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Content Analysis ◽

Focus Group ◽

Qualitative Study ◽

Mental Health Professionals ◽

Health Professionals ◽

Qualitative Content Analysis ◽

Focus Group Interviews ◽

Informal Coercion ◽

Group Interviews

Abstract Objectives The objective of the study was to investigate how mental health professionals describe and reflect upon different forms of informal coercion. Results In a deductive qualitative content analysis of focus group interviews, several examples of persuasion, interpersonal leverage, inducements, and threats were found. Persuasion was sometimes described as being more like a negotiation. Some participants worried about that the use of interpersonal leverage and inducements risked to pass into blackmail in some situations. In a following inductive analysis, three more categories of informal coercion was found: cheating, using a disciplinary style and referring to rules and routines. Participants also described situations of coercion from other stakeholders: relatives and other authorities than psychiatry. The results indicate that informal coercion includes forms that are not obviously arranged in a hierarchy, and that its use is complex with a variety of pathways between different forms before treatment is accepted by the patient or compulsion is imposed.

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Different forms of informal coercion in psychiatry – a qualitative study

10.21203/rs.2.17476/v2 ◽

2019 ◽

Author(s):

Veikko Pelto-Piri ◽

Lars Kjellin ◽

Ulrika Hylén ◽

Emanuele Valenti ◽

Stefan Priebe

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Content Analysis ◽

Focus Group ◽

Qualitative Study ◽

Mental Health Professionals ◽

Health Professionals ◽

Qualitative Content Analysis ◽

Focus Group Interviews ◽

Informal Coercion ◽

Group Interviews

Abstract Objectives The objective of the study was to investigate how mental health professionals describe and reflect upon different forms of informal coercion. Results In a deductive qualitative content analysis of focus group interviews, several examples of persuasion, interpersonal leverage, inducements, and threats were found. Persuasion was sometimes described as being more like a negotiation. Some participants worried about that the use of interpersonal leverage and inducements risked to pass into blackmail in some situations. In a following inductive analysis, three more categories of informal coercion was found: cheating, using a disciplinary style and referring to rules and routines. Participants also described situations of coercion from other stakeholders: relatives and other authorities than psychiatry. The results indicate that informal coercion includes forms that are not obviously arranged in a hierarchy, and that its use is complex with a variety of pathways between different forms before treatment is accepted by the patient or compulsion is imposed.

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Different forms of informal coercion in psychiatry: a qualitative study

BMC Research Notes ◽

10.1186/s13104-019-4823-x ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 12 (1) ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Veikko Pelto-Piri ◽

Lars Kjellin ◽

Ulrika Hylén ◽

Emanuele Valenti ◽

Stefan Priebe

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Content Analysis ◽

Focus Group ◽

Qualitative Study ◽

Mental Health Professionals ◽

Health Professionals ◽

Qualitative Content Analysis ◽

Focus Group Interviews ◽

Informal Coercion ◽

Group Interviews

Abstract Objectives The objective of the study was to investigate how mental health professionals describe and reflect upon different forms of informal coercion. Results In a deductive qualitative content analysis of focus group interviews, several examples of persuasion, interpersonal leverage, inducements, and threats were found. Persuasion was sometimes described as being more like a negotiation. Some participants worried about that the use of interpersonal leverage and inducements risked to pass into blackmail in some situations. In a following inductive analysis, three more categories of informal coercion was found: cheating, using a disciplinary style and referring to rules and routines. Participants also described situations of coercion from other stakeholders: relatives and other authorities than psychiatry. The results indicate that informal coercion includes forms that are not obviously arranged in a hierarchy, and that its use is complex with a variety of pathways between different forms before treatment is accepted by the patient or compulsion is imposed.

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The Religious Schizophrenic: Why Spirituality is Crucial for Recovery

ATHENS JOURNAL OF HEALTH & MEDICAL SCIENCES ◽

10.30958/ajhms.8-3-2 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 8 (3) ◽

pp. 171-188

Author(s):

Emily Sweet

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Mental Health Professionals ◽

Health Professionals ◽

Modern Medicine ◽

Drop Out ◽

Medical Professionals ◽

Religious Institutions ◽

Schizophrenic Patients ◽

Diverse World ◽

Mental Wellness

Up to 80% of schizophrenic patients use religion to cope with their illness. These positive spiritual coping strategies are the primary predictor of mental wellness in patients with schizophrenia. Yet, most medical professionals have no religious training and are often ill-equipped to guide their schizophrenic patients in spiritual matters. Typically, religious institutions and modern medicine are not associated together, but what happens when mental health professionals lack the training to assist 80% of their schizophrenic patients who use religion as a coping strategy? Schizophrenic patients whose beliefs are not respected have a higher rate of suicide, face increased stigma and report a lower overall quality of life. Such patients are more likely to decline mentally and drop out of treatment. Some scholars, psychologists and philosophers are now arguing that ignoring the connection between religion and mental wellness is unethical because practitioners are failing to take patient diversity into account. This paper will attempt to answer the following questions: In an increasingly diverse world, is it the responsibility of mental health professionals to learn about their patients’ religious beliefs, especially when their beliefs are so closely intertwined with their chances at successfully managing their illness, such as the case with schizophrenics? Why is it a good idea to consider combining religion and healthcare? Should the increase in diverse patients require additional training for mental health professionals? Is it unethical for a mental health care professional to be ignorant of diverse cultures and religions? What are the dangers of allowing medical professionals, who largely have no training in religious affairs, to guide mentally ill patients? What are the potential solutions for this problem? Which solutions are more effective and why? Are the current practiced healthcare models, which combine medicine and religion, effective? Keywords: schizophrenia, religion, treatment, therapy, psychosis, stigma

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Malaysian Stakeholder Perspectives on Suicide-Related Reporting: Findings From Focus Group Discussions

Frontiers in Psychology ◽

10.3389/fpsyg.2021.673287 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 12 ◽

Author(s):

Yin Ping Ng ◽

Kai Shuen Pheh ◽

Ravivarma Rao Panirselvam ◽

Wen Li Chan ◽

Joanne Bee Yin Lim ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Social Media ◽

Focus Group ◽

Mental Health Professionals ◽

Health Professionals ◽

Stakeholder Engagement ◽

Focus Group Discussions ◽

Group Discussions ◽

Reporting Practices ◽

The Impact

Media guidelines on safe suicide-related reporting are within the suicide prevention armamentarium. However, implementation issues beleaguer real-world practice. This study evaluated the perspectives of the Malaysian media community, persons with lived experience of suicidal behavior (PLE), and mental health professionals (MHP) on suicide-related reporting in terms of the impact, strategies, challenges, and the implementation of guidelines on safe reporting. Three focus group discussions of purposively sampled Malaysian media practitioners (n = 8), PLE (n = 6), and MHP (n = 7) were audio-recorded, transcribed, coded and thematically analyzed. Inclusion criteria were: English fluency, no clinical depression or suicidal ideation (current), no recent previous suicide attempts or suicide bereavement. Three major themes emerged: (1) Unsafe Reporting; (2) Impact; and (3) Safe Reporting. Most described current reporting as unsafe by being potentially triggering to media users and may contribute to contagion effect. Positive impacts identified included raised awareness toward suicide and its prevention. Unsafe reporting was attributed to inadequate awareness, knowledge, and guidance, lack of empathy and accountability, job-related factors, popularity-seeking, lack of monitoring and governance, and information source(s) with unsafe content. Majority agreed on how suicide stories should be framed to produce a safe report. The media community diverged on how detailed a suicide story should be. Safe reporting challenges included difficulties in balancing beneficial versus harmful details, social media ubiquity and its citizen reporters. Participants suggested these safe reporting strategies: stakeholder engagement, educational approaches, improving governance and surveillance, and guidelines revision. Most acknowledged the relevance of guidelines but were unaware of the existence of local guidelines. Implementation challenges included the dilemma in balancing media industry needs vis-à-vis safe reporting requirements, stakeholder engagement difficulties and social media regulation. There is poor awareness regarding safe suicide-related reporting across all groups. PLE and MHP were negatively impacted by current unsafe messaging which aggravated trauma and grief reactions. Postvention support gaps for mental health professionals were highlighted. Safe reporting promotion strategies should include stakeholder engagement to increase awareness on minimizing Werther and maximizing Papageno effects. Strategic re-examination and dissemination of local media guidelines to address new media issues, and effective surveillance mechanisms, are crucial in sustainable improvement of safe reporting practices.

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Perception and use of informal coercion in outpatient treatment: a focus group study with mental health professionals of Latin culture

Salud Mental ◽

10.17711/sm.0185-3325.2017.009 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 40 (2) ◽

pp. 63-70

Author(s):

Ignacio García-Cabeza ◽

◽

Emanuel Valenti ◽

Alfredo Calcedo ◽

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Clinical Practice ◽

Mental Health Professionals ◽

Health Professionals ◽

Perceived Risk ◽

Total Sample ◽

Involuntary Hospitalization ◽

Focus Group Study ◽

Informal Coercion ◽

Latin Culture

Introduction. In addition to compulsion (involuntary hospitalization, seclusion, restraint, etc.), there are broader forms of coercion (persuasion, interpersonal pressure, inducement or threat), called informal or covert coercion, all of which try to improve patients adherence to treatment. Objective. To analyse the use of covert coercion in mental health outpatients and the mental health professionals´ views on this practice comparing four countries (Spain, Italy, Mexico and Chile). Methods. We conducted a qualitative research using four focus groups in each country with mental health professionals working in mental health centres and based on a thematic analysis approach. Sample. The total sample was made up of 98 professionals (31 psychiatrists, 25 clinical psychologists, 28 nurses, eight social workers and six other professionals). Results. The use of informal coercion was recognized in clinical practice, but its intensity was related to professionals´ characteristics and to factors related to diagnosis, clinical course, perceived risk, insight, therapeutic relationship and organizational issues in the delivery of services. Its use was justified by effectiveness in improving adherence and, generally, in seeking benefits for the patient, but sometimes in a paternalistic way. Discussion and conclusion. Our results match those described in the literature in terms of: 1. sociodemographic and clinical profile; 2. the reason that leads to its use (adherence); 3. ethical justification (search for patient´s benefit, trying not to impair his freedom); hence, the most intense forms (threat) were misperceived. Our professionals acknowledged the use of covert coercion in their clinical practice, justifying it on ethical and clinical grounds.

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Compassion Fatigue Among Family Caregivers of Schizophrenic Patients

Journal of Population and Social Studies ◽

10.25133/jpssv302022.001 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 30 ◽

pp. 1-17

Author(s):

Ratchaneekorn Upasen ◽

◽

Weeraphol Saengpanya ◽

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Family Caregivers ◽

Compassion Fatigue ◽

Mental Health Professionals ◽

Health Professionals ◽

Mental Health Nurses ◽

Schizophrenic Patients ◽

Field Notes ◽

Depth Interviews

Caring for schizophrenic patients can cause long-term family caregivers to experience suffering and compassion fatigue (CF). However, the manifestations of CF among family caregivers of schizophrenic patients are unclear. The purpose of this study was to explore manifestations of CF among family caregivers of schizophrenic patients. In this study, grounded theory was used, and purposive and theoretical sampling was employed to recruit participants. Data were collected from 29 family caregivers through in-depth interviews and field notes. Constant and comparative methods were used to analyze data. The study revealed that participants had experienced several manifestations of CF, including stress, physical and mental exhaustion, disheartenment, anxiety and uncertainty, difficulty sleeping, a feeling of endless hard work, and a strong bonding with the patient. Compassion fatigue among family caregivers is a major concern impacting their ability to care for and aid schizophrenic patients. These findings can alert mental health professionals, including mental health nurses, to improve awareness and understanding of CF experienced by family caregivers. Mental health professionals can use these findings to develop plans to assist family caregivers of schizophrenic patients in alleviating manifestations of CF among these caregivers.

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