scholarly journals Mental distress and “self-stigma” in the context of support provision: exploring attributions of self-stigma as sanism

2019 ◽  
Vol 24 (1) ◽  
pp. 41-48
Author(s):  
Victoria Armstrong ◽  
Toby Brandon
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Distress ◽  
Participant Observation ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Support Provision ◽  
North East ◽  
The North ◽  
Mental Health Support ◽  
Health Support ◽  
Empirical Material

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to discuss the findings from a detailed qualitative PhD study exploring experiences of stigma and discrimination in the lives of people in receipt of “mental health support” at two voluntary sector organisations in the North East of England. Design/methodology/approach Empirical material was collected during two periods of three-month long ethnographic periods of fieldwork from July to December of 2013 at two organisations providing support to their members who experience or have experienced mental distress. Along with field notes taken during and after periods of participant observation, the empirical material also included 30 interviews with staff (n=10) and members (n=20) across both organisations, along with a series of three focus groups at each organisation. Findings Staff at the organisations did not demonstrate obvious stigmatising or discriminatory attitudes or behaviours. However, they did attribute “self-stigma” to particular attitudes and behaviours of some of the members they support, referring to how they “made excuses”, “did not try” and/or “avoided situations”. Originality/value This paper argues that these attributions resulted from the misrecognition of members’ reactions to experiences of discrimination. The empirical material also suggests that these attributions of self-stigma may be indicative of the material limitations of the support environment, the consequent frustrations of well-intentioned staff, and, overall, as symptoms of neoliberalism. Drawing upon a Mad Studies approach and focussing on self-stigma and its attribution in contemporary mental health support, this paper provides a new perspective, which considers how stigma is linked to discrimination by rethinking what is thought of as “self-stigma”.

The men’s wellbeing project: promoting the well-being and mental health of men

2020 ◽  
Vol 19 (2) ◽  
pp. 179-189
Author(s):  
Gabriel Abotsie ◽  
Roger Kingerlee ◽  
Andrew Fisk ◽  
Sam Watts ◽  
Rachel Cooke ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Health Care ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Health Needs ◽  
Physical And Mental Health ◽  
Mental Health Needs ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Public Events ◽  
Mental Health Support ◽  
Health Support

Purpose Comparatively, men have poorer physical and mental health outcomes than women, with a significantly higher suicide rate. Contributory factors are thought to be social and biological, leading to reduced access to health-care services. The study aims to develop and implement community-based support to increase awareness of and access to men’s mental health support networks and groups. Design/methodology/approach The project involved three key work-packages discussed in this paper: raising awareness of men’s mental health needs in health care, educational and community settings; collaboration between National Health Services (NHS) and non-NHS health-care support organisations to build multi-sector partnership working; and developing a supported sports-based community intervention aimed at men living with mental health conditions. The acceptability and feasibility of these work-packages were pragmatically evaluated through mixed-methods surveys and qualitative content analysis. Findings Overall, both community events and sports groups successfully engaged men living with mental health problems. Organisations interested in men’s mental health are continuing to engage in a partnership initiative. Community events were well-attended and received positive feedback, particularly regarding the educative and real-life experiences approach promoted in the events. The sports intervention is feasible and well-accepted by participants, who described feeling supported with their physical and mental health needs, with increased mental well-being reported. Research limitations/implications The main limitations of this project are that the authors only evaluated a football group rather than all work areas. The project collected outcomes relating to participants’ demographics and qualitative reflections of participating in the football group along with a retrospective survey of perceived benefits, but the project did not undertake a pre- and post-comparison of well-being outcomes owing to low completion of these measures. Future work could focus on collecting more pre- and post-measures related to well-being, recovery and inclusion and compare these with men not involved in the football groups or public events. Practical implications This paper discusses the development and feasibility of setting up community-based men’s mental health support networks, involving public events, partnership working and targeted-sports interventions. All initiatives were well-received and successfully attended by men living with mental health conditions. Evaluation of the programme revealed the value placed on education about mental health and the role that community sports interventions may play in men’s mental health care. Social implications This project has demonstrated three different ways of supporting men’s mental health needs in the community. Community public events were held to raise awareness of men’s mental health needs and issues were well-attended and highlighted the need for health promotion and education in this area across all the communities. The men’s football group demonstrated the feasibility of moving mental health support out into a non-clinical and more community arena in a way that men engaged effectively. Finally, the creation of MensNet has bought together disparate multi-sector organisations successfully to lead public health mechanisms to support men’s mental health needs. Originality/value This paper describes a new multi-disciplined approach to supporting health-seeking challenges among men, in particular, how partnership working across NHS and non-NHS sectors can successfully support an identified public health need pragmatically using existing services and organisations.

How well do children in the North East of England function after a crisis: a service evaluation

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Emily Staite ◽  
Lynne Howey ◽  
Clare Anderson ◽  
Paula Maddison
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Young People ◽  
Health Services ◽  
Service Evaluation ◽  
Mental Health Crisis ◽  
Health Crisis ◽  
Content Type ◽  
North East ◽  
The North ◽  
The Uk

Purpose Data shows that there is an increasing number of young people in the UK needing access to mental health services, including crisis teams. This need has been exacerbated by the current global pandemic. There is mixed evidence for the effectiveness of crisis teams in improving adult functioning, and none, to the authors’ knowledge, that empirically examines the functioning of young people following intervention from child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS) crisis teams in the UK. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to use CAMHS Crisis Team data, from an NHS trust that supports 1.4 million people in the North East of England, to examine a young person's functioning following a crisis. Design/methodology/approach This service evaluation compared functioning, as measured by the Outcome Rating Scale (ORS), pre- and post-treatment for young people accessing the CAMHS Crisis Team between December 2018 and December 2019. Findings There were 109 participants included in the analysis. ORS scores were significantly higher at the end of treatment (t(108) = −4.2046, p < 0.001) with a small effect size (d = −0.36). Sixteen (15%) patients exhibited significant and reliable change (i.e. functioning improved). A further four (4%) patients exhibited no change (i.e. functioning did not deteriorate despite being in crisis). No patients significantly deteriorated in functioning after accessing the crisis service. Practical implications Despite a possibly overly conservative analysis, 15% of patients not only significantly improved functioning but were able to return to a “healthy” level of functioning after a mental health crisis following intervention from a CAMHS Crisis Team. Intervention(s) from a CAMHS Crisis Team are also stabilising as some young people’s functioning did not deteriorate following a mental health crisis. However, improvements also need to be made to increase the number of patients whose functioning did not significantly improve following intervention from a CAMHS Crisis Team. Originality/value This paper evaluates a young person’s functioning following a mental health crisis and intervention from a CAMHS Crisis Team in the North East of England.

Peer-to-Peer Mental Health Support: Validating Scores on the Mental Distress Response Scale With High School Students

2021 ◽  
Vol 25 (1) ◽  
pp. 2156759X2110066
Author(s):  
Michael T. Kalkbrenner ◽  
Emily Goodman-Scott
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
High School Students ◽  
School Counselors ◽  
Mental Distress ◽  
National Sample ◽  
Peer To Peer ◽  
Response Scale ◽  
School Students ◽  
Mental Health Support ◽  
Health Support

This investigation tested the internal structure of scores on the Mental Distress Response Scale (MDRS), a peer-to-peer mental health support screening tool, with a national sample of 237 adolescents from 111 high schools in 30 states. Results revealed psychometric support for the scores on the MDRS and demographic differences in students’ responses. We discuss implications for how school counselors can use the MDRS to enhance peer-to-peer mental health support as part of a comprehensive school counseling program.

scholarly journals “In these streets”: the saliency of place in an alternative black mental health resource centre

2019 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 31-44 ◽  
Author(s):  
John Wainwright ◽  
Mick McKeown ◽  
Malcolm Kinney
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Health System ◽  
Black Community ◽  
Mental Health System ◽  
Health Resource ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Place And Space ◽  
Mental Health Resource ◽  
Mental Health Support ◽  
Health Support

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore experiences of survivors of the mental health system regularly attending a mental health resource centre predominantly but not exclusively focussed on needs of the BAME community. Design/methodology/approach In total, 25 participants took part in a qualitative research study regarding their experiences of mental health and racism, alternative mental health support and struggles in the local black community. Findings Issues of race, place and space were central to the experiences of BAME mental health survivors. Participants emphasised the importance of place-based support in their everyday life, with the service provided engendering a sense of belonging conducive to coping with various struggles. Race and racism were also central to these daily struggles and the place of Liverpool 8 was at the core of notions of identity and belonging. The space within the centre provided a sanctuary from the combined discriminations and exclusions attendant on being BAME survivors of the mental health system. Practical implications Attention to matters of place and space appears crucial to the articulation of appropriate support. Social implications Place is salient to understanding the intersecting identities/experience of racism and mental health discrimination, constituting the basis for a concept of placism; associated with exclusions from feeling safe and included in everyday public places (including within the black community) with the exception of the welcoming and unconditionally accepting space of the centre. Originality/value This paper is the first to inquire into place-based experiences of alternative black mental health support. Placism is a novel construct that merits further inquiry and theoretical development.

scholarly journals The effectiveness of support groups: a literature review

2018 ◽  
Vol 22 (2) ◽  
pp. 85-93 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hugh Worrall ◽  
Richard Schweizer ◽  
Ellen Marks ◽  
Lin Yuan ◽  
Chris Lloyd ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Illness ◽  
Literature Review ◽  
Support Groups ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Long Period ◽  
People With Mental Illness ◽  
Mental Health Support ◽  
Health Support

Purpose Support groups are a common feature of the mental health support engaged by carers and consumers. The purpose of this paper is to update and consolidate the knowledge and the evidence for the effectiveness of mental health support groups. Design/methodology/approach This paper is based on a systematic literature review of relevant databases around support groups for mental health. Support groups are defined as meetings of people with similar experiences, such as those defined as carers of a person living with a mental illness or a person living with a mental illness. These meetings aim to provide support and companionship to one another. Findings The results show that there is a consistent pattern of evidence, over a long period of time, which confirms the effectiveness of mental health support groups for carers and people living with mental illness. There is strong, scientifically rigorous evidence which shows the effectiveness of professionally facilitated, family-led support groups, psychoeducation carers support groups, and professionally facilitated, program-based support groups for people living with mental illness. Research limitations/implications This research implies the use of support groups is an important adjunct to the support of carers and people with mental illness, including severe mental illness. Originality/value This research brings together a range of studies indicating the usefulness of support groups as an adjunct to mental health therapy.

scholarly journals Impact of arthritis on the perceived need and use of mental healthcare among Canadians with mental disorders: nationally representative cross-sectional study

BMJ Open ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (12) ◽  
pp. e041371
Author(s):  
Alyssa Howren ◽  
J Antonio Aviña-Zubieta ◽  
Deborah Da Costa ◽  
Joseph H Puyat ◽  
Hui Xie ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Disorders ◽  
Mental Disorder ◽  
Clinical Care ◽  
Mental Healthcare ◽  
Cluster Sampling ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Perceived Need ◽  
Mental Health Support ◽  
Health Support

ObjectiveTo evaluate the association between having arthritis and the perceived need for mental healthcare and use of mental health support among individuals with mental disorders.DesignA cross-sectional analysis using data from Canadian Community Health Survey—Mental Health (2012).SettingThe survey was administered across Canada’s 10 provinces using multistage cluster sampling.ParticipantsThe study sample consisted of individuals reporting depression, anxiety or bipolar disorder.Study variables and analysisThe explanatory variable was self-reported doctor-diagnosed arthritis, and outcomes were perceived need for mental healthcare and use of mental health support. We computed overall and gender-stratified multivariable binomial logistic regression models adjusted for age, gender, race/ethnicity, income and geographical region.ResultsAmong 1774 individuals with a mental disorder in the study sample, 436 (20.4%) reported having arthritis. Arthritis was associated with increased odds of having a perceived need for mental healthcare (adjusted OR (aOR) 1.71, 95% CI 1.06 to 2.77). In the gender-stratified models, this association was increased among men (aOR 2.69, 95% CI 1.32 to 5.49) but not women (aOR 1.48, 95% CI 0.78 to 2.82). Evaluation of the association between arthritis and use of mental health support resulted in an aOR of 1.50 (95% CI 0.89 to 2.51). Individuals with arthritis tended to use medications and professional services as opposed to non-professional support.ConclusionComorbid arthritis among individuals with a mental disorder was associated with an increased perceived need for mental healthcare, especially in men, underscoring the importance of understanding the role of masculinity in health seeking. Assessing the mental health of patients with arthritis continues to be essential for clinical care.

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