Helping Carers Care: An Education Programme for Rural Carers of People with a Mental Illness

2005 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 148-153 ◽  
Author(s):  
Faye Hayman
Keyword(s):  
Mental Illness ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Self Care ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Education Programme ◽  
Educational Programme ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Descriptive Information ◽  
Exchange Programme ◽  
Positive Outlook

Objective: To provide descriptive information about a short-term educational programme for rural carers of people with a mental illness, living in the Loddon Campaspe Southern Mallee region. Method: The Carers Education Exchange Programme is a flexible, needsbased model that can be modified to cater for individual groups. It consists of a number of sessions on topics relevant to caring for someone with a mental illness, held over a period of several weeks. The programme is offered at locations throughout the region, making it accessible to carers in isolated, rural areas. Results: Feedback indicates that the benefits of participating in the programme include the reduction of isolation and stigma, increased understanding of mental illness, development of skills relevant to the caring role and the formation of supportive networks, both professional and personal. Conclusions: Educational group programmes for carers are an effective way of providing both education and support. This programme can assist in reducing some of the distress and difficulties inherent in caring for someone with a mental illness. Carer well-being is enhanced by the promotion of self-care and a positive outlook.

scholarly journals Acceptance and Avoidance Processes at Different Levels of Psychological Recovery from Enduring Mental Illness

2015 ◽  
Vol 2015 ◽  
pp. 1-6 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vinicius R. Siqueira ◽  
Lindsay G. Oades
Keyword(s):  
Mental Illness ◽  
Experiential Avoidance ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Recovery Process ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Clear Correlation ◽  
Psychological Well Being ◽  
Psychological Recovery ◽  
Axis I ◽  
Psychological Acceptance

Objective. This study examined the use of psychological acceptance and experiential avoidance, two key concepts of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), in the psychological recovery process of people with enduring mental illness.Method. Sixty-seven participants were recruited from the metropolitan, regional, and rural areas of New South Wales, Australia. They all presented some form of chronic mental illness (at least 12 months) as reflected in DSM-IV Axis I diagnostic criteria. The Acceptance and Action Questionnaire (AAQ-19) was used to measure the presence of psychological acceptance and experiential avoidance; the Recovery Assessment Scale (RAS) was used to examine the levels of psychological recovery; and the Scales of Psychological Well-Being was used to observe if there are benefits in utilizing psychological acceptance and experiential avoidance in the recovery process.Results. An analysis of objectively quantifiable measures found no clear correlation between the use of psychological acceptance and recovery in mental illness as measured by the RAS. The data, however, showed a relationship between psychological acceptance and some components of recovery, thereby demonstrating its possible value in the recovery process.Conclusion. The major contribution of this research was the emerging correlation that was observed between psychological acceptance and positive levels of psychological well-being among individuals with mental illness.

scholarly journals THE EFFECTS OF ANIMAL-ASSISTED ACTIVITIES (AAA) ON THE WELL-BEING OF MINORITY STUDENTS IN GERMANY

2020 ◽  
Vol 54 (3) ◽  
pp. 464-478
Author(s):  
Laura Sokal ◽  
Anna Kahl
Keyword(s):  
Mental Illness ◽  
Minority Students ◽  
Boarding School ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Children And Youth ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Mental Wellness ◽  
Mental Well Being

Global increases in mental illness in children and youth have precipitated a wide range of therapies to address this concern. An alternative to this reactive approach is based on models of mental wellness that enhance children’s and youths’ perceptions of well-being and health. The current project examined the effects of a universal animal-assisted activity (AAA) program on a group of minority students who attended a boarding school in Germany. The intent of the current study was to determine whether the duration and types of AAA the students experienced were associated with higher levels of perceived mental well-being. Short-term gains in calmness were demonstrated under some AAA conditions, and long-term gains in well-being resulted from minority children’s participation in rabbit club.

scholarly journals Improving the Quality of Patient Care and Healthcare Staff Well-Being through an Empathy Immersion Educational Programme in New Zealand: Protocol of a Feasibility and Pilot Study

2021 ◽  
Vol 4 (4) ◽  
pp. 89
Author(s):  
Caz Hales ◽  
Chris K. Deak ◽  
Tosin Popoola ◽  
Deborah L. Harris ◽  
Helen Rook
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Pilot Study ◽  
Healthcare Worker ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Education Programme ◽  
Preliminary Evidence ◽  
Educational Programme ◽  
Professional Relationships ◽  
Secondary Outcome ◽  
Advisory Group

Empathy is positively related to healthcare workers and patients’ wellbeing. There is, however, limited research on the effects of empathy education delivered in acute clinical settings and its impact on healthcare consumers. This research tests the feasibility and the potential efficacy outcomes of an immersive education programme developed by the research team in collaboration with clinical partners and a multidisciplinary advisory group. Healthcare worker participants in the intervention ward will receive an 8-week immersive empathy education. The primary outcome (feasibility) will be assessed by evaluating the acceptability of the intervention and the estimated resources. The secondary outcome (efficacy) will be assessed using a quasi-experimental study design. Non-parametric tests will be used to test healthcare worker participants’ empathy, burnout, and organisational satisfaction (within-group and across groups), and healthcare consumer participants’ satisfaction (between-group) over time. Despite growing interest in the importance of empathy in professional relationships, to our knowledge, the present pilot study is the first to explore the feasibility and efficacy of an immersive empathy education in New Zealand. Our findings will provide critical evidence to support the development of a randomised cluster trial and potentially provide preliminary evidence for the effectiveness of this type of empathy education.

scholarly journals Evaluating PsychEd: a mental health and well-being educational programme for secondary schools

BJPsych Open ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 5 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Alexandra Pittock ◽  
Laura Meagher ◽  
Stephen M. Lawrie
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Education Programme ◽  
Educational Programme ◽  
Qualitative Feedback ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Negative Comments ◽  
Scottish Government ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Health And Well Being

BackgroundYoung people's mental health and well-being is an important concern in the UK. Provision of education and support to schools has been highlighted as an area for improvement; however, evidence-based programmes are scarce and costly.AimsTo provide an acceptable education programme to improve pupils' confidence and knowledge of mental health and well-being. It covered the mental and emotional well-being outcomes set by the Scottish Government in their schools' curriculum.MethodLessons were designed by A.P. and delivered by volunteer doctors and medical students, and supervised by a psychiatrist. Outcomes were measured using questionnaires before and after lessons with optional comments.ResultsPsychEd was piloted in 2016 in six schools to pupils between the ages of 11 and 18. There was a statistically significant improvement in pupil confidence and knowledge after the lessons (P < 0.001). Of the pupils 84% felt that having lessons on mental health was useful. Qualitative feedback was also collected and coded into positive, constructive and negative comments. In total, 72% of pupil comments were positive.ConclusionsPsychEd showed promising results. Future areas of development include reaching a greater number of local authority schools, longer training for volunteers and provision of teaching materials to teachers for their own use.Declaration of interestNone.

scholarly journals Self-Care Experiences of Adults with Chronic Disease in Indonesia: An Integrative Review

2020 ◽  
Vol 2020 ◽  
pp. 1-17
Author(s):  
Nurul Akidah Lukman ◽  
Annette Leibing ◽  
Lisa Merry
Keyword(s):  
Chronic Disease ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Self Care ◽  
Well Being ◽  
The Self ◽  
Psychosocial Needs ◽  
Traditional Remedies ◽  
Supportive Role ◽  
Rural Settings ◽  
Personalized Approach

We conducted a literature review to document what is known regarding the self-care experiences and various influencing factors among adults living with chronic disease in Indonesia, from the perspective of those living with the illness. We searched CINAHL and Google Scholar to identify peer-reviewed research focused on men and/or women living with a chronic disease (the most prevalent) in urban or rural settings in Indonesia. Using a “Self-Care of Chronic Illness” framework as a guide, information on self-care experiences and how various factors influence these experiences, was extracted and synthesized. Nine studies were included (3 quantitative; 6 qualitative). Self-care involves maintaining well-being through different strategies (e.g., foot hygiene, seeking information/care, praying, diet, resting, and simplifying life), following prescribed treatments, and using traditional remedies. Religion sometimes serves as a means for taking care of one’s health (e.g., prayer), or as a source of motivation to self-care, while in other instances, it results in a fatalistic attitude. Which treatments (conventional versus traditional) are sought, it is affected by an understanding of the disease and treatments, which is shaped by beliefs, values, emotions, health literacy, and SES. The literature shows that family, especially women, has a key role in providing support. Community organizations also play an important supportive role, particularly for patients in rural areas. Significant barriers to healthcare include costs and care not being well-adapted to the psychosocial needs and contexts of patients. The literature highlights a disconnection between the self-care experiences and how healthcare and support are delivered. To better support self-care, healthcare professionals should use a personalized approach; however, more research is needed to gain a better understanding of what patients want and expect regarding how religion, beliefs, life circumstances, and the use of alternative therapies should be addressed within the patient-professional dynamic.

Intraindividual Variability and Stability of Affect and Well-Being

GeroPsych ◽  
2013 ◽  
Vol 26 (3) ◽  
pp. 185-199 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christina Röcke ◽  
Annette Brose
Keyword(s):  
Age Differences ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Subjective Well Being ◽  
Emotional Experiences ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Regulatory Processes ◽  
Functional Implications ◽  
Methodological Approaches ◽  
Underlying Processes

Whereas subjective well-being remains relatively stable across adulthood, emotional experiences show remarkable short-term variability, with younger and older adults differing in both amount and correlates. Repeatedly assessed affect data captures both the dynamics and stability as well as stabilization that may indicate emotion-regulatory processes. The article reviews (1) research approaches to intraindividual affect variability, (2) functional implications of affect variability, and (3) age differences in affect variability. Based on this review, we discuss how the broader literature on emotional aging can be better integrated with theories and concepts of intraindividual affect variability by using appropriate methodological approaches. Finally, we show how a better understanding of affect variability and its underlying processes could contribute to the long-term stabilization of well-being in old age.

Mental illness related discrimination: The role of self-devaluation and anticipated discrimination for decreased well-being.

2019 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 11-18
Author(s):  
Oliver Schauman ◽  
Andrew K. MacLeod ◽  
Graham Thornicroft ◽  
Sarah Clement
Keyword(s):  
Mental Illness ◽  
Well Being

Self-compassion and empathy in caregiver and comparison groups: Differences in negative components

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Monica Beals ◽  
Melissa Birkett
Keyword(s):  
Comparison Group ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Positive Outcomes ◽  
Personal Distress ◽  
Self And Other ◽  
Self Compassion ◽  
Descriptive Information ◽  
Supportive Behavior ◽  
Comparison Groups ◽  
Health And Well Being

Self-compassion and empathy are positively associated with mental health, physical health, and well-being. Caregivers higher in self-compassion and empathy show increased caring and supportive behavior. Cultivating self-compassion and empathy have been suggested to enhance positive outcomes, however descriptive information about these constructs is lacking for caregiver and comparison groups. The current study examined self-compassion and empathy among caregivers (self-identified parents of at least one child under 18 years of age; n=335) and a comparison group (n=215). Caregivers had higher scores of total self-compassion and empathy, with lower scores of self-judgement, isolation, and overidentification (self-compassion subscales), and personal distress (empathy subscale). Describing self-compassion and empathy in caregiver and comparison groups has implications for key health outcomes and highlights differences in self- and other-directed constructs in a diverse sample of adults.

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