scholarly journals The Impact of Critical Incidents and Workload on Functioning in the Private Life of Police Officers: Does Weakened Mental Health Act as a Mediator?

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
A H M (Heilwine) Bakker ◽  
M J P M (Marc) Van Veldhoven ◽  
A W K (Anthony) Gaillard ◽  
M (Margot) Feenstra
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Police Officers ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Social Life ◽  
Critical Incidents ◽  
Private Life ◽  
Mediation Effect ◽  
Life Tasks ◽  
Negative Effect ◽  
The Impact

Abstract This study examined the disintegrating effects of critical incidents (Cri) and workload (WL) on the mental health status (MHS) and private life tasks of 166 police officers. In addition, it investigated whether diminished MHS mediated the impact of Cri and WL on private life tasks. This mediation effect was based on the work–home resources model of Brummelhuis and Bakker (2012). The respondents were police officers functioning in the front line, experiencing Cri and working in urban areas. We investigated the effects on the following five private life tasks: ‘social life, maintaining mental health, household and finance, giving meaning, and maintaining positivity’. The results showed that Cri only had a negative effect on ‘maintaining positivity’. Respondents reporting more Cri had a lower MHS, which in turn had a direct effect on the functioning in all private life tasks except ‘social life’. When mediated by MHS, Cri were associated with less effective functioning in all private life tasks except for ‘social life’. Thus, the effects of Cri on functioning in private life tasks (except social life) were larger for respondents with a low MHS. The largest effects were found for ‘maintaining mental health (MMH) and maintaining positivity’. In the WL model, no significant indirect effects were found on life tasks.

scholarly journals The functioning of rescue workers in life tasks: development of a test

2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 34-46
Author(s):  
Heilwine Bakker ◽  
Marc van Veldhoven ◽  
Tony Gaillard ◽  
Remy Hertogs ◽  
Margot Feenstra
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Factor Structure ◽  
Social Life ◽  
Concurrent Validity ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Private Life ◽  
Positive Energy ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Rescue Workers ◽  
Life Tasks

Purpose Since policemen have a highly demanding job, they have a high risk of developing mental health problems, which may have a negative influence on their private life. The purpose of this paper is to present a new questionnaire for measuring the functioning of rescue workers in life tasks outside of work. Design/methodology/approach The internal consistency, factor structure and concurrent validity of this life tasks test (LTT) were examined in a group of 108 policemen. Findings The test measures perceived effectiveness in the following five domains: social life, maintaining mental health, household and finance, giving meaning and maintaining positivity. Cronbach’s α was acceptable for two scales (>0.60) and good for the other three (>0.70). The hypothesized five-factor structure of the LTT was corroborated in a confirmatory factor analysis. Concurrent validity was examined by correlating the scores on the LTT with two established questionnaires, one for personality characteristics and one for work characteristics and work stress. All LTT scales, with the exception of social life, showed significant correlations with social support, workload and personality. Research limitations/implications This provides support for the concurrent validity of the questionnaire. Practical uses and future research are discussed. Practical implications The items are close to everyday clinical practice. It adds valuable information to the commonly used questionnaires on mental health complaints. The test may also provide insight on which life tasks domains are functioning well and which are in need of attention to improve the effectiveness. Social implications In both preventive and curative mental health support, it is important to enhance the effectiveness in life tasks, because it works as a buffer for the adversity of rescue work. Moreover, it gives rescue workers mastery of their personal life, makes self-management stronger, as well as it gives feelings of confidence and positive energy. Originality/value This is the first questionnaire to be designed and implemented for rescue workers.

scholarly journals The psychological impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on adults with autism: a survey study across three countries

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Danna Oomen ◽  
Annabel D. Nijhof ◽  
Jan R. Wiersema
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Social Life ◽  
Social Stress ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Survey Study ◽  
Specific Information ◽  
Long Term Effects ◽  
Adults With Autism ◽  
Psychological Burden ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Background Previous studies have reported a negative psychological and mental health impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. This impact is likely to be stronger for people with autism as they are at heightened risk of mental health problems and because the pandemic directly affects social functioning and everyday routines. We therefore examined COVID-19 pandemic-related changes in mental health, the impact of the pandemic on their social life and routines, satisfaction with pandemic-related information and tips, and participants’ wishes for guidance. Methods We used a mixed-method approach, collecting quantitative and qualitative survey data from adults with and without autism across three European countries: Belgium, the Netherlands, and the UK (N = 1044). Results We found an increase in depression and anxiety symptoms in response to the pandemic for both the non-autism and the autism group, which was greater for adults with autism. Furthermore, adults with autism showed a greater increase in worries about their pets, work, getting medication and food, and their own safety/security. They felt more relieved from social stress, yet experienced the loss of social contact as difficult. Adults with autism also felt more stressed about the loss of routines. Pleasant changes noted by adults with autism were the increase in solidarity and reduced sensory and social overload. Adults with autism frequently reported problems with cancellation of guidance due to the pandemic and expressed their wish for (more) autism-specific information and advice. Limitations Our sample is likely to reflect some degree of selection bias, and longitudinal studies are needed to determine long-term effects. Conclusions Results highlight the psychological burden of the pandemic on adults with autism and shed light on how to support them during this COVID-19 pandemic, which is especially important now that the pandemic is likely to have a prolonged course. There is a need for accessible, affordable (continued) support from health services. Guidance may focus on the maintenance of a social network, and adjusting routines to the rapid ongoing changes. Finally, we may learn from the COVID-19 pandemic-related changes experienced as pleasant by adults with autism to build a more autism-friendly society post-pandemic.

scholarly journals Impact of Postmigration Living Difficulties on the Mental Health of Afghan Migrants Residing in Istanbul

2016 ◽  
Vol 2016 ◽  
pp. 1-8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Qais Alemi ◽  
Carl Stempel ◽  
Kelly Baek ◽  
Lisa Lares ◽  
Patricia Villa ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Psychological Distress ◽  
Idioms Of Distress ◽  
Hierarchical Regression ◽  
Foreign Countries ◽  
Legal Challenges ◽  
Culturally Sensitive Interventions ◽  
Negative Effect ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Afghan Migrants

Background. The sociopolitical situation in Afghanistan continually pushes Afghans to seek safety and better socioeconomic prospects in neighboring and foreign countries. In this paper we examine the mental health of Afghan migrants residing in Istanbul, Turkey, an understudied population at high risk of psychopathology. Methods. We surveyed 158 Afghan migrants to assess psychological distress using a culturally grounded measure of mental health, the Afghan Symptom Checklist [ASCL], and used hierarchical regression analysis to examine the impact of postmigration living difficulties (PMLDs) on mental health. Results. We found that depressive, somatoform, anxiety-like symptoms occurred often, as did a number of culturally salient idioms of distress. Regression analyses showed that while socioeconomic variables and poor physical health status significantly predicted psychological distress, PMLDs exerted the strongest negative effect. The most pressing PMLDs for Afghans in Turkey are poverty, unemployment, lack of treatment for health problems, fears of being deported and related legal challenges, and family-related stressors. Conclusion. Our results point to the importance of the critical need to create culturally sensitive interventions to remediate high levels of psychological distress by addressing related PMLD stressors in a highly vulnerable Afghan migrant population residing in Turkey.

scholarly journals Aggressive Policing and the Educational Performance of Minority Youth

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joscha Legewie ◽  
Jeffrey Fagan
Keyword(s):  
New York ◽  
African American ◽  
Police Officers ◽  
Social Life ◽  
Minority Groups ◽  
Police Department ◽  
Minority Youth ◽  
Educational Performance ◽  
High Crime ◽  
The Impact

An increasing number of minority youth experience contact with the criminal justice system. But how does the expansion of police presence in poor urban communities affect educational outcomes? Previous research points at multiple mechanisms with opposing effects. This article presents the first causal evidence of the impact of aggressive policing on minority youths’ educational performance. Under Operation Impact, the New York Police Department (NYPD) saturated high-crime areas with additional police officers with the mission to engage in aggressive, order-maintenance policing. To estimate the effect of this policing program, we use administrative data from more than 250,000 adolescents age 9 to 15 and a difference-in-differences approach based on variation in the timing of police surges across neighborhoods. We find that exposure to police surges significantly reduced test scores for African American boys, consistent with their greater exposure to policing. The size of the effect increases with age, but there is no discernible effect for African American girls and Hispanic students. Aggressive policing can thus lower educational performance for some minority groups. These findings provide evidence that the consequences of policing extend into key domains of social life, with implications for the educational trajectories of minority youth and social inequality more broadly.

scholarly journals Using simulation to educate police about mental illness: A collaborative initiative

2014 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Wendy Stanyon ◽  
Bill Goodman ◽  
Marjory Whitehouse
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Illness ◽  
Police Officers ◽  
Real Life ◽  
Ease Of Use ◽  
World Health ◽  
Health Concern ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
People With Mental Illness ◽  
The Impact

Mental illness is a major public health concern in Canada and also globally. According to the World Health Organization, five of the top ten disabilities worldwide are mental health disorders. Within Canada, one in five individuals is living with mental illness each year. Currently, there are 6.7 million Canadians living with mental illness and over 1 million Canadian youth living with mental illness. Police are frequently the first responders to situations in the community involving people with mental illness, and police services are increasingly aware of the need to provide officers with additional training and strategies for effectively interacting with these citizens.This study examined the effectiveness of four online, interactive video-based simulations designed to educate police officers about mental illness and strategies for interacting with people with mental illness. The simulations were created through the efforts of a unique partnership involving a police service, a mental health facility and two postsecondary institutions. Frontline police officers from Ontario were divided into one of three groups (simulation, face to face, control). Using a pre- and post-test questionnaire, the groups were compared on their level of knowledge and understanding of mental illness. In addition, focus groups explored the impact of the simulations on officers’ level of confidence in engaging with individuals with mental illness and officers’ perceptions of the simulations’ ease of use and level of realism. The study’s findings determined that the simulations were just as effective as face-to-face learning, and the officers reported the simulations were easy to use and reflected real-life scenarios they had encountered on the job. As mental health continues to be a major public concern, not only in Canada but also globally, interactive simulations may provide an effective and affordable education resource not only for police officers but for other professionals seeking increased knowledge and skills in interacting with citizens with mental illness.Keywords: policing, mental illness, education, computer-based simulation

On-scene Mental Health Counseling Provided Through Police Departments

2008 ◽  
Vol 30 (4) ◽  
pp. 345-361 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrew Young ◽  
Jill Fuller ◽  
Briana Riley
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Health Professionals ◽  
Police Officers ◽  
Health Professionals ◽  
Mental Health Counseling ◽  
Police Departments ◽  
Crisis Counseling ◽  
Health Counseling ◽  
Survey Results ◽  
The Impact

The expectation that police officers can address every need in every situation is daunting and unrealistic. Recognizing this, some police departments have instituted special training or used other resources to better serve the needs of citizens. One example is an on-scene crisis counseling unit comprised of volunteer mental health professionals who respond to calls with police officers. These counselors provide mental health services that police officers cannot. This article explains the usefulness of this type of program, and crisis counseling in general, for both officers and victims as they deal with crises like domestic violence, homicide, suicide, and sexual assault. The study examines survey results from victims and police officers about the impact of this intervention. The data support the helpfulness of the program. Implications and recommendations for further research are included.

scholarly journals Avaliação da Percepção do Envelhecimento Vocal em Idosos

2006 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mauriceia Cassol
Keyword(s):  
Social Life ◽  
Voice Quality ◽  
Private Life ◽  
Elderly Individuals ◽  
Self Evaluation ◽  
Mild Degree ◽  
Auditory Analysis ◽  
Vocal Aging ◽  
The Impact ◽  
The Voice

Resumo: Este estudo objetiva avaliar a voz de um grupo de idosos relacionando a qualidade vocal e seu grau de alteração com o impacto causado em relação à vida particular, profissional e social, através das avaliações perceptivo-auditiva e da utilização de uma escala de auto-avaliação vocal. Fizeram parte deste estudo 19 indivíduos idosos do gênero masculino e gênero feminino na faixa etária de 60 a 80 anos, alunos da Universidade do Adulto Maior do Centro Universitário Metodista IPA. Para a análise perceptivo-auditiva foi realizada a gravação digital da voz através da emissão da vogal /a/ sustentada e da contagem de números de um a 20. Na realização da auto-avaliação da psicodinâmica vocal os indivíduos foram instruídos à marcar numa escala de zero a dez o impacto da sua voz em relação à vida particular, profissional e social, sendo considerado o impacto vocal de zero a três ruim, de quatro a sete bom e de oito a dez ótimo. Na avaliação perceptivo-auditiva da qualidade vocal houve predomínio do tipo de voz rouca-soprosa de grau leve, sendo um dos principais marcadores do envelhecimento da voz ou presbifonia. Na escala de auto- avaliação vocal em relação a vida particular os indivíduos avaliaram sua voz com ótimo e bom impacto, na vida profissional consideraram que costumava causar impacto ótimo e na vida social impacto bom. Pode-se concluir que todos os indivíduos possuem uma auto- imagem vocal positiva, apesar de apresentarem uma qualidade vocal alterada decorrente do processo de envelhecimento vocal. Palavras-chave: Voz. Idosos. Geriatria. Gerontologia. Abstract: This study aims to assess the voice of an elderly group relating voice quality and its alteration degree with the impact caused on professional, social and private life, through perceptive-auditory assessments and use of a voice self-evaluation scale. 19 female and male elderly individuals at ages ranging from 60 to 80 years, who were students at the IPA Adult University, participated in this study. For the perceptive-auditory analysis, a digital voice recording was performed through the emission of the sustained /a/ vowel and number counting from one to twenty. While performing the vocal psychodynamic self-evaluation, the subjects were instructed to rate from zero to ten in a scale the impact of their voices in relation to private, professional and social life, the vocal impact from zero to three being considered bad, from four to seven good, and from eight to ten optimal. In the perceptive-auditory evaluation of voice quality, there was a dominance of the hoarse, breathy voice type of mild degree, this being one of the markers of voice aging or presbyphonia. In the voice self-evalution scale in relation to private life, the subjects evaluated their voice as optimal and with good impact; regarding professional life, they considered it to cause an optimal impact; and regarding social life, a good impact. We can conclude that all subjects have a positive voice self-evaluation, despite presenting an altered voice quality stemming from the vocal aging process. Keywords: Voice. Elderly. Geriatrics. Gerontology.

scholarly journals COVID-19 pandemic and suicides in Nepal: Way forward for prevention

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 1083-1085
Author(s):  
Indrajit Banerjee ◽  
Jared Robinson ◽  
Brijesh Sathian ◽  
Indraneel Banerjee
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Financial Loss ◽  
Extreme Stress ◽  
Preventative Measures ◽  
Global Pandemic ◽  
Negative Effect ◽  
Self Harm ◽  
National Programs ◽  
The Impact

The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has firmly rooted itself within our countries, communities, homes and now everyday lives. The impact of this global pandemic is immeasurable as it is catastrophic in nature and involves both a human and financial loss. Suicide and self-harm (SH) are both a serious public health and social issue. It is however preventable via the use of timely, evidence-based and many times low-cost interventions and therapies. The current situation depicted Nepal shows a true indicator of the mental health of the nation, as a precipitating factor (i.e., the extreme stress of COVID-19 and the lockdown) has exposed the submerged “ice-berg” phenomenon of disease.  It is evident that COVID-19 and the lockdown had a massively negative effect on the mental health of the population in Nepal. The increased rates of suicide and self-harm also simultaneously exposed the great pre-existing fragility of the mental health of the nation. It is therefore vital that both Nepal and other countries alike take cognizance of the fact that extra support and preventative measures need to be introduced during this difficult period and that further national programs must be employed to best aid the mental health of their fellow countrymen.

scholarly journals Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on Mental Health of University Students in Pakistan

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hafiz Muhammad Asif ◽  
Hafiz Abdul Sattar
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Mental Health ◽  
University Students ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Family Income ◽  
Sampling Procedure ◽  
Mental Wellbeing ◽  
Snowball Sampling ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
The Impact

Purpose: A novel coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2 was identified as the cause of COVID-19 eventually led to the declaration of Public health emergency of international concern and a pandemic by WHO due to its exponential global spread. Present study was conducted to investigate the impact of second wave of pandemic on mental wellbeing and social behaviors among university students of Pakistan during this crucial period of COVID-19 infection. Methods: A cross-sectional analytical study was designed to evaluate the psychosocial impact during the current COVID-19 outbreak among the students of The Islamia University of Bahawalpur, Pakistan. Snowball sampling or chain referral sampling procedure was adopted to recruit the participants in the study. Verbal informed consent was taken from all participants before recruitment in the study irrespective of their gender, age and socioeconomic status. Results: Mental health of university students during COVID-19 epidemic was affected to a varying degree revealing that 26.66% were recorded to have mild, 27.15% moderate and 17.04% suffering from severe anxiety out of total 1029 students. Students who were residing in urban areas with parents and having a steady family income were negatively associated and found protective factors against anxiety. However, having a relative or an acquaintance infected with COVID-19 was an independent risk factor for experienced anxiety. Positively associated factors with the level of anxiety symptoms included economic stressors, effects on daily-life, and academic delays whereas social support was negatively correlated with anxiety in COVID-19 related stressors. Conclusion: Public health emergencies and such pandemic are exerting serious psychological impacts on university students. It is recommended that the higher authorities should plan better policies to reduce this impact for the provision of high quality and timely crisis-oriented psychological services to university students.

scholarly journals “You’re just there, alone in your room with your thoughts” A qualitative study about the impact of lockdown among young people during the COVID-19 pandemic

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alison R. McKinlay ◽  
Tom May ◽  
Joanna Dawes ◽  
Daisy Fancourt ◽  
Alexandra Burton
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Young Adults ◽  
Young People ◽  
Social Life ◽  
Qualitative Interviews ◽  
Social Contact ◽  
Adolescents And Young Adults ◽  
Quantitative Evidence ◽  
The Uk ◽  
The Impact

AbstractBackgroundAdolescents and young adults have been greatly affected by quarantine measures during the coronavirus-19 pandemic. Quantitative evidence suggests that many young people have struggled with their mental health throughout “lockdown”, but little is understood about the qualitative impact of social distancing restrictions on mental health, wellbeing and social life. We therefore sought to elicit the views and experiences of adolescents and young adults living in the UK during the pandemic.MethodsSemi-structured qualitative interviews were undertaken with 37 participants aged 13-24.ResultsWe identified 4 superordinate themes most commonly described by participants about their experiences during the pandemic, including: a) missing social contact during lockdown, b) disruption to education, c) changes to social relationships, and d) improved wellbeing during lockdown. Although we identified some positive experiences during the pandemic, including an increased awareness of mental health and stronger relationship ties, many said they struggled with loneliness, a decline in mental health, and anxiety about socialising after the pandemic.ConclusionsFindings suggest that some young people may have felt less stigma talking about their mental health now compared to before the COVID-19 pandemic. However, many are worried about how the pandemic has affected their education and social connections and may require additional psychological, practical and social support. Our findings highlight the important role that education providers play in providing a source of information and support to adolescents and young adults during times of uncertainty.

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