Triumph Over Adversity

2020 ◽  
pp. 255-275
Author(s):  
Christopher Lee Atkins
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Social Worker ◽  
Mental Health Treatment ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Military Mental Health ◽  
Health Officer ◽  
Health Community ◽  
Career Opportunity ◽  
Trauma Therapist

Like other chapters, the author takes the reader on a journey of a combat social worker beginning in his childhood as the son of a Vietnam veteran with severe PTSD. With the valuable lessons learned from his father’s mental health treatment journey with the help of the early 1980s Vet Centers. The author shares his life experiences and lessons gleaned from a career as a trauma therapist and finally a 16-year career as an Army social worker, including lessons from Iraq combat tour and the Army’s comprehensive soldier fitness program. Research-based theories, books, and interventions are described critical to healing PTSD and empowering the holistic well-being of today’s service members. The author, currently an Army lieutenant colonel behavioral health officer concludes with a call for reinforcements due to increasing attrition of combat social workers, and the corresponding traits and mindset required for this dynamic career opportunity in today’s military mental health community.

scholarly journals Social, Economic and Health Effects of the 2016 Alberta Wildfires: Pediatric Resilience

2020 ◽  
Vol 15 (7) ◽  
pp. 833-844
Author(s):  
Julie L. Drolet ◽  
Caroline McDonald-Harker ◽  
Nasreen Lalani ◽  
Meagan McNichol ◽  
Matthew R. G. Brown ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Disaster Recovery ◽  
Early Childhood Development ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Childhood Development ◽  
Snowball Sampling ◽  
For Profit ◽  
Health Community

The 2016 Alberta wildfires resulted in devastating human, socio-economic, and environmental impacts. Very little research has examined pediatric resilience (5–18 years) in disaster-affected communities in Canada. This article discusses the effects of the wildfire on child and youth mental health, community perspectives on how to foster resilience post-disaster, and lessons learned about long-term disaster recovery by drawing on data collected from 75 community influencers following the 2016 Alberta wildfires. Community influencers engaged in the delivery of services and programs for children, youth, and families shared their perspectives and experiences in interviews (n = 30) and in focus group sessions (n = 35). Using a purposive and snowball sampling approach, participants were recruited from schools, community organizations, not-for-profit agencies, early childhood development centers, and government agencies. The results show that long-term disaster recovery efforts require sustained funding, particularly in meeting mental health and well-being. Implications and recommendations are provided.

scholarly journals The Translation and Cross-Cultural Adaptation of an Arabic Version of the Reminiscence Functions Scale

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 343-343
Author(s):  
Abdallah Abu Khait ◽  
Juliette Shellman
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
Positive Impact ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Arab Countries ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Arabic Version ◽  
Harmonization Process ◽  
Back Translation ◽  
Target Culture

Abstract The Reminiscence Functions Scale (RFS), a 43 item reliable and valid scale, measures eight specific reasons as to why individuals reminisce: (a) identity (b) death preparation; (c) problem-solving; (d) bitterness revival; (e) boredom reduction; (f) intimacy maintenance; (g) conversation; and (h) teach/Inform others. Research indicates that certain reminiscence functions have a positive impact on the mental-health and well-being of older adults. However, no known studies have been conducted in Arab countries examining the relationship between reminiscence functions and mental health outcomes due to the lack of an Arabic version of the RFS. The purpose of this study was to translate the RFS from English to Arabic (Modern Standard Arabic), back-translate from Arabic to English, and compare the two English versions for equivalence and accuracy through a multi-step translation method. A team of bilingual, bicultural, Arabic speaking experts assembled to conduct the forward, back translation and harmonization process. In the next step, professionals with expertise in linguistics communication sciences and disorders, Arabic literature, geriatric nursing, and medicine reviewed the translated documents to assess the content (relevant to the target culture) and semantic equivalencies (similarity of meaning in the target culture). Challenges that occurred during the study included finding nuanced translation equivalences for Likert scale responses, translation of idioms such as “when time is heavy on my hands”, and logistical issues such as coordinating virtual meetings for the team of experts. Lessons learned during the translation process and implications for use of the RFS-Arabic version with Jordanian older adults will be presented.

scholarly journals Mental Health in Women Living With HIV: The Unique and Unmet Needs

2021 ◽  
Vol 20 ◽  
pp. 232595822098566
Author(s):  
Elizabeth M. Waldron ◽  
Inger Burnett-Zeigler ◽  
Victoria Wee ◽  
Yiukee Warren Ng ◽  
Linda J. Koenig ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Health Treatment ◽  
Behavioral Therapy ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Health Issues ◽  
Women Living With Hiv ◽  
Mental Health Issues ◽  
Hiv Management ◽  
Living With Hiv

Women living with HIV (WLWH) experience depression, anxiety, and posttraumatic stress symptoms at higher rates than their male counterparts and more often than HIV-unaffected women. These mental health issues affect not only the well-being and quality of life of WLWH, but have implications for HIV management and transmission prevention. Despite these ramifications, WLWH are under-treated for mental health concerns and they are underrepresented in the mental health treatment literature. In this review, we illustrate the unique mental health issues faced by WLWH such as a high prevalence of physical and sexual abuse histories, caregiving stress, and elevated internalized stigma as well as myriad barriers to care. We examine the feasibility and outcomes of mental health interventions that have been tested in WLWH including cognitive behavioral therapy, mindfulness-based interventions, and supportive counseling. Future research is required to address individual and systemic barriers to mental health care for WLWH.

Evaluation of Mental Health First Aid training program in Bangladesh: A modified Delphi study

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Akib Ul Huque ◽  
Umme Kawser ◽  
Monira Rahman ◽  
Shamini Gnani ◽  
Mala Rao ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Training Program ◽  
Delphi Study ◽  
Mental Health Treatment ◽  
Social Impact ◽  
Well Being ◽  
First Aid ◽  
Mental Health First Aid ◽  
Modified Delphi ◽  
First Aid Training

Abstract BackgroundBangladesh, like other low-resource countries, faces a shortage of a trained mental health workforce to meet its population's mental health needs adequately. The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has further aggravated this. Mental health first aid (MHFA) is an internationally recognized training program that has been operating in Bangladesh since 2015. It offers a potential way to reduce the mental health treatment gap and skills shortage by training laypeople to help support individuals with mental health issues. The present study evaluated the effectiveness of MHFA training in Bangladesh. MethodsAn online modified Delphi study was conducted consisting of two rounds of a self-administered survey and a consensus workshop. A five-step logic framework was used to develop questionnaire statements (n=111) that consisted of 'general,' 'I,' and 'social impact' statements around the seven MHFA aims. The statements were constructed in English and adapted in Bangla. The expert panel consisted of 20 participants trained in the MHFA program. Participants anonymously stated their opinion on 111 round-1 statements and then on 27 low agreement statements in round-2. The consensus workshop facilitated a group discussion where participants explained their views on the low consensus items. ResultsThe consensus ranged from 61.5% (Aim 3: Promote recovery of good mental health) to 100% (Aim 7: To improve own health and well-being) with an overall consensus of 83.8%. 'Social impact' items produced the most (50%) disagreements. Participants' comments reflected 12 themes of MHFA's effectiveness in fostering and promoting mental health individually and socially. There were nine themes of disagreement reflecting individual, sociocultural, and political barriers to the implementation of MHFA in Bangladesh. Participants made recommendations for the MHFA and mental health initiatives in Bangladesh to increase mental health awareness, acceptance, and support in society.ConclusionMHFA training offers Bangladesh and other low-and-middle-income countries a potential solution to tackle mental health burden at individual and societal levels and the additional challenges that the COVID-19 pandemic poses to mental health.

Introduction

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
David Bolton
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Northern Ireland ◽  
Social Services ◽  
Social Worker ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Conflict Processes ◽  
Post Conflict ◽  
Personal Experiences ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Health And Well Being

In the Introduction, the author describes the background to the book and his personal experiences of violence in Northern Ireland - as a social worker and health and social services manager in Enniskillen and Omagh. He addresses the impact of loss and trauma linked to conflict and the implications for mental health and well-being. The structure of the book is outlined and the author sets the rest of the book in the argument that the mental health of conflict affected communities should be an early and key consideration in peace talks, politics and post-conflict processes.

Convergence and the Changing Nature of Innovation

2021 ◽  
pp. 37-50
Author(s):  
Amanda Arnold ◽  
Katherine Bowman
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Research Universities ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Mental Health Disorders ◽  
Federal Agencies ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Government Agencies ◽  
Innovation Ecosystem ◽  
American Research ◽  
Health Disorders

Convergence has the potential to shape cultures of innovation in health and medicine by providing a framework integrating perspectives from multiple disciplines and sectors to tackle challenges such as understanding and addressing mental health disorders and improving well-being. This chapter discusses examples of efforts to establish cultures that support convergence and lessons learned from multiple sectors. The chapter highlights changing perspectives from institutions engaged in convergent research, including universities, industry, philanthropic foundations, and government agencies. Facilitating progress toward solutions that could not otherwise be obtained serves as a critical motivation for pursuing convergence, even when approaches that rely on convergence challenge conventional institutional incentives and structures. Indeed, barriers to establishing and supporting convergence arise where existing organizational practices and structures misalign with the changing nature of innovation. Nevertheless, examples from across the innovation ecosystem, from American research universities to the biotechnology industry, reveal some of the strategies such organizations are using to actively create and foster cultures that support convergence. Federal agencies are also beginning to investigate funding incentives to support convergent work through their grant-making programs. The chapter concludes with an array of actions others have used to help foster convergence institutionally. These lessons learned may have relevance for those interested in establishing convergence in the realm of mental health.

scholarly journals Risk and resilience during COVID-19: A new study in the Zigler paradigm of developmental science

2020 ◽  
pp. 1-16
Author(s):  
Suniya S. Luthar ◽  
Ashley M. Ebbert ◽  
Nina L. Kumar
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
High Stress ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Risk And Resilience ◽  
Community Based ◽  
Science And Policy ◽  
Mixed Methods Approach ◽  
Clinically Significant ◽  
Home And School

Abstract When children are exposed to serious life adversities, Ed Zigler believed that developmental scientists must expediently strive to illuminate the most critical directions for beneficial interventions. In this paper, we present a new study on risk and resilience on adolescents during COVID-19, bookended – in introductory and concluding discussions – by descriptions of programmatic work anchored in lessons learned from Zigler. The new study was conducted during the first two months of the pandemic, using a mixed-methods approach with a sample of over 2,000 students across five high schools. Overall, rates of clinically significant symptoms were generally lower as compared to norms documented in 2019. Multivariate regressions showed that the most robust, unique associations with teens’ distress were with feelings of stress around parents and support received from them. Open ended responses to three questions highlighted concerns about schoolwork and college, but equally, emphasized worries about families’ well-being, and positive outreach from school adults. The findings have recurred across subsequent school assessments, and strongly resonate with contemporary perspectives on resilience in science and policy. If serious distress is to be averted among youth under high stress, interventions must attend not just to the children's mental health but that of salient caregiving adults at home and school. The article concludes with some specific recommendations for community-based initiatives to address mental health through continued uncertainties of the pandemic.

scholarly journals Occupational Stress and Mental Health Among Healthcare Workers Serving Socially Vulnerable Populations During the COVID-19 Pandemic

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
Author(s):  
V. Nelly Salgado de Snyder ◽  
Alice P. Villatoro ◽  
Marisol D. McDaniel ◽  
Ana Sofia Ocegueda ◽  
Deliana Garcia ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Vulnerable Populations ◽  
Healthcare Workers ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Safety Net ◽  
The United States ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Community Safety ◽  
Vulnerable Groups ◽  
Work Place

The purpose of this study was to analyze occupational and personal stressors, mental health indicators, perceived discrimination and help-seeking behaviors among healthcare workers and providers (HCWPs) serving socially vulnerable groups such as immigrants, refugees, farmworkers, homeless individuals, people living in poverty, and other disadvantaged populations in the United States (U.S.) during the COVID-19 pandemic. Using a cross-sectional descriptive approach, we gathered information between July and September 2020, from a sample of 407 affiliates of two national organizations of clinic-based HCWPs who worked at federally funded and community safety-net clinics. Informed consent was obtained from all participants who completed a self-administered online survey available in English and Spanish. Our results indicated that the HCWPs serving vulnerable groups in the midst of the pandemic experienced high levels of occupational and personal stressors as well as anxiety and depressive symptomology. Major occupational stressors were excessive workload, long working-hours, and institutional barriers to refer and follow-up on their clients' access to needed social services. High-rated personal stressors included sleep disorders, lack of and child-care, partner's loosing job, and other family related situations. Our findings suggest that HCWPs working with vulnerable populations need specialized interventions that bolster their mental health and well-being as the pandemic continues to unfold. We recommend implementing initiatives that encourage HCWPs' to be actively involved in clinic decisions regarding employee safety and protection as well as in management decisions to improve work place infrastructure and capacity to respond to the social needs of their clients. Lessons learned from the pandemic are useful tools in designing protocols for addressing the mental-health needs of HCWPs in health-care organizations that attend to socially underprivileged populations.

scholarly journals Pengetahuan Mahasiswa Prodi Kedokteran FK UNS Tentang Kesehatan Jiwa, Orang dengan Gangguan Jiwa dan Undang-Undang yang Melindunginya

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nur Khofifah A
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Health Treatment ◽  
Productivity Loss ◽  
Social Economy ◽  
Well Being ◽  
The Body ◽  
Care Staff ◽  
Health Care Staff ◽  
Increased Risk

Humans always seen as a united whole of elements of the body, soul, social, not only emphasis on disease but on improving the quality of life, consisting of well-being of body, soul and productivity of social economy. Mental disorders are a leading cause of the global burden of disease, and the provision of mental health services in developing countries remains very limited and far from equitable. . Stigmatization of the mentally ill has a long tradition, and the word “stigmatization” itself indicates the negative connotations Worldwide, more than 70% of young people and adults with mental illness do not receive any mental health treatment from health care staff. Untreated mental health and substance use disorders are associated with pre-mature mortality, productivity loss, high rates of disability, and increased risk forchronic disease.

What Is Narrative Psychiatry?

2013 ◽  
Author(s):  
SuEllen Hamkins
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Health Treatment ◽  
Narrative Theory ◽  
Psychiatric Symptoms ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Patient Centered ◽  
Narrative Approaches ◽  
Culturally Sensitive Care ◽  
The Arts ◽  
President Elect

Narrative psychiatry brings the muscle and agility of narrative theory and the spirit of compassion and social justice to the practice of psychiatry. What makes narrative psychiatry different from psychiatry-as-usual? Rather than focusing only on finding the source of the problem, narrative psychiatry also focuses on finding sources of strength and meaning. The result is compassionate, powerful healing. Narrative psychiatry combines narrative and biological understandings of human suffering and well-being. It begins with compassionate connection with patients, understanding that we live our lives in relationships and connect with one another through the stories we tell. It relishes discovering untold but inspiring stories of a person’s resiliency and skill in resisting mental health challenges while dismantling narratives that fuel problems. It examines what the doctor’s kit of psychiatry has to offer in light of the values and preferences of the person seeking consultation, authorizing the patient as the arbiter of what is helpful and what is not. Psychiatry as a field is seeking a more positive and patient-centered approach, which narrative psychiatry exemplifies. In his address at the American Psychiatric Association’s annual meeting on May 6, 2012, President-Elect Dilip Jeste, M.D., said that “ ‘positive psychiatry’—a psychiatry that aims not just to reduce psychiatric symptoms but to help patients grow and flourish—is the future.” Likewise, in 2012 the U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration called for a focus on “recovery” that includes collaborative and culturally sensitive care that seeks to honor the patient’s values, self-determination, and preferred relationships and to foster not just the absence of symptoms, but also well-being. Narrative approaches to psychiatry, psychotherapy, and medicine have been burgeoning in the last decade, inspired by the wave of narrative theory that has progressively suffused philosophy, anthropology, literature, and the arts over the last fifty years. Training programs and courses teaching narrative approaches to mental health treatment and to medicine are flourishing.

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