Interventions for the Reduction of Violence by Persons with Serious Mental Illnesses

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kevin S. Douglas ◽  
Tonia L. Nicholls ◽  
Johann Brink
Keyword(s):  
Cognitive Skills ◽  
Behavioral Therapy ◽  
Empirical Support ◽  
Evidence Base ◽  
Mental Illnesses ◽  
Mental Health Courts ◽  
Service Programs ◽  
Risk Need Responsivity ◽  
Mandatory Service ◽  
Serious Mental Illnesses

Violence perpetrated by persons with serious mental illness (SMI), although certainly not the norm among this group, is of clinical and legal import in numerous legal settings. Among these are civil commitment, forensic psychiatry (insanity acquittees), and the criminal justice system. In this chapter, we provide a critical review of interventions and their empirical support that are used to reduce violence among persons with SMI. Promising findings support the use of cognitive behavioral, social learning, and cognitive skills approaches that are consistent with the Risk-Need-Responsivity (RNR) approach to crime and violence prevention. Anger management remains a promising, focused intervention with reasonable support in the literature. Dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT) has substantial general support. Community-based mandatory service programs such as outpatient commitment and mental health courts appear effective. Finally, the evidence base for the violence-reducing effect of certain psychotropic medication, particularly clozapine, is promising yet inconsistent.

Treatment of sex offenders

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Friedrich Lösel ◽  
Martin Schmucker
Keyword(s):  
Sex Offenders ◽  
Sexual Offenders ◽  
Behavioral Therapy ◽  
Evaluation Research ◽  
Evidence Base ◽  
Group Format ◽  
Positive Treatment Effect ◽  
Recent Developments ◽  
Positive Treatment ◽  
Risk Need Responsivity

This essay discusses various treatments for sexual offenders and their success in reducing reoffending. Overall, research reveals a positive treatment effect that indicates up to 25 per cent less recidivism in treatment versus control groups. Cognitive-behavioral therapy, relapse prevention, and programs based on the Risk–Need–Responsivity model have the strongest evidence base, although the studies and findings are heterogeneous and outcomes vary depending on many factors. Most promising are programs that involve treatment in the community and in forensic hospitals, delivered in a partly individualized mode, implemented with sound integrity, targeting medium- to high-risk offenders, addressing young individuals, and being evaluated in well-documented small studies. In contrast, programs in prisons, delivered merely in a group format, including low-risk offenders, and evaluations in large samples show smaller or no effects. Recent developments aim to modernize and widen standard programs toward more differentiated interventions, but more sound evaluation research is needed.

scholarly journals Psychosocial interventions and medication adherence in bipolar disorder

2008 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 239-250 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Bipolar Disorder ◽  
Medication Adherence ◽  
Psychosocial Functioning ◽  
Behavioral Therapy ◽  
Empirical Support ◽  
Psychosocial Interventions ◽  
Evidence Base ◽  
Psychosocial Disability ◽  
Standardized Treatment ◽  
Multicomponent Interventions

Recent research has indicated that psychosocial interventions can have a valuable role in reducing the substantial psychosocial disability associated with bipolar disorder. Randomized controlled trials of these interventions indicate that improvements are seen in symptoms, psychosocial functioning, and treatment adherence. These interventions, systematically presented in the form of standardized treatment manuals, vary in format, duration, and theoretical basis. All are meant to augment pharmacotherapy, which represents the standard of treatment in the field. Modalities that have gathered the most empirical support include cognitive-behavioral therapy, family-focused therapy, interpersonal and social rhythms therapy, and psychoeducation. The enhancement of adherence to pharmacotherapy is a common therapeutic target, due to the association of nonadherence with higher relapse rates, hospitalization, and health care costs among people with bipolar disorder. Given the complexity of nonadherence behavior, multicomponent interventions are often required. In this review, we provide an overview of the rationale, evidence base, and major psychotherapeutic approaches in bipolar disorder, focusing on the assessment and enhancement of medication adherence.

Wellness for life: A pilot of an interprofessional intervention to address metabolic syndrome in adults with serious mental illnesses.

2016 ◽  
Vol 39 (2) ◽  
pp. 147-153 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kenneth J. Gill ◽  
Michelle Zechner ◽  
Ellen Zambo Anderson ◽  
Margaret Swarbrick ◽  
Ann Murphy
Keyword(s):  
Metabolic Syndrome ◽  
Mental Illnesses ◽  
Serious Mental Illnesses

Mental health recovery and its correlates: Perspectives from 2 countries (Preprint)

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Huiting Xie
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
United States ◽  
Self Efficacy ◽  
The United States ◽  
Mental Illnesses ◽  
Health Conditions ◽  
Mental Health Recovery ◽  
Mental Health Conditions ◽  
Serious Mental Illnesses ◽  
Promote Mental Health

BACKGROUND Many people are affected by mental health conditions, yet its prevalence in certain populations are not well documented. OBJECTIVE The aim of this study is to describe the attributes of people with mental health conditions in U.S and SG in terms of: perception of mental health recovery and its correlates such as strengths self-efficacy, resourcefulness and stigma experience. With the findings, not only could the knowledge base for mental health recovery in both countries be enhanced but interventions and policies relating to self-efficacy, resourcefulness and de-stigmatization for mental health recovery could be informed. METHODS A A cross-sectional, descriptive study with convenience sample of 200 community dwelling adults were selected, 100 pax from the United States (U.S) and 100 pax from Singapore (SG). Adults with serious mental illnesses without substance abuse impacting on their recovery were recruited. Participants completed self-administered questionaires measuring their mental health recovery, strengths self-efficacy, resourcefulness and stigma experience. RESULTS This study offered the unique opportunity to examine mental health recovery as well as its correlates such as strengths self-efficacy, resourcefulness and stigma experience from both the United States and Singapore. While the perception of mental health recovery and positive attributes like strengths self-efficacy and resourcefulness remained strong in participants with serious mental illnesses across both countries, people with serious mental illnesses in both countries still experienced negative perception like stigma. The findings would not only inform strategies to promote mental health recovery but also enhance the focus on correlates such as strengths self-efficacy and resourcefulness across both countries. CONCLUSIONS The findings would not only inform strategies to promote mental health recovery but also enhance the focus on correlates such as strengths self-efficacy and resourcefulness across both countries.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document