scholarly journals Measuring an individual researcher’s impact: new directions and challenges

2019 ◽  
Vol 23 (2) ◽  
pp. 47-51
Author(s):  
Morwenna Senior ◽  
Seena Fazel
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Health Research ◽  
Mental Health Research ◽  
Impact Factors ◽  
Research Assessment ◽  
Recent Proposal ◽  
New Directions ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Journal Impact ◽  
Highly Cited

Metrics which quantify the impact of a scientist are increasingly incorporated into decisions about how to rate and fund individuals and institutions. Several commonly used metrics, based on journal impact factors and citation counts, have been criticised as they do not reliably predict real-world impact, are highly variable between fields and are vulnerable to gaming. Bibliometrics have been incorporated into systems of research assessment but these may create flawed incentives, failing to reward research that is validated, reproducible and with wider impacts. A recent proposal for a new standardised citation metric based on a composite indicator of 6 measures has led to an online database of 100 000 of the most highly cited scientists in all fields. In this perspective article, we provide an overview and evaluation of this new citation metric as it applies to mental health research. We provide a summary of its findings for psychiatry and psychology, including clustering in certain countries and institutions, and outline some implications for mental health research. We discuss strengths and limitations of this new metric, and how further refinements could align impact metrics more closely with wider goals of scientific research.

Can We Track the Impact of Australian Mental Health Research?

2005 ◽  
Vol 39 (7) ◽  
pp. 591-599 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ian B. Hickie ◽  
Ian B. Hickie ◽  
Helen Christensen ◽  
Tracey A. Davenport ◽  
Georgina M. Luscombe
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
New Zealand ◽  
Health Research ◽  
Research Output ◽  
Scientific Information ◽  
Mental Health Research ◽  
Epidemiological Methods ◽  
The Status ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Highly Cited

Objective: Arguments are being made to increase research and development funding for mental health research in Australia. Consequently, the methods used to measure the results of increased investment require review. This study aimed to describe the status of Australian mental health research and to propose potential methods for tracking changes in research output. Specifically, we describe the research output of nations, Australian states, Australian and New Zealand institutions and Australian and New Zealand researchers using citation rates. Method: Information on research output was sourced from two international databases (Institute for scientific information [ISI] Essential Science Indicators and ISI Web of Science) and the ISI list of Highly Cited Researchers. Results: In an international setting, Australia does not perform as well as other comparable countries such as New Zealand or Canada in terms of research output. Within Australia, the scientific performance of institutions apparently relates to the strength of some individual researchers or consolidated research groups. Highly cited papers are evident in the fields of syndrome definition, epidemiology and epidemiological methods, cognitive science and prognostic or longitudinal studies. Conclusions: Australian researchers need to consider the success of New Zealand and Canadian researchers, particularly given the relatively low investment in health and medical research in New Zealand. Although citation analyses are fraught with difficulties, they can be effectively complemented by other measures of responsiveness to clinical or population needs and community expectations and should be conducted regularly and independently to monitor the status of Australian mental health research.

scholarly journals Infant Mental Health Research in Africa: a call for action for research in the next 10 years

2015 ◽  
Vol 2 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mark Tomlinson ◽  
Barak Morgan
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Maternal Depression ◽  
Health Research ◽  
Infant Development ◽  
Mental Health Research ◽  
Infant Mental Health ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
Middle Income Countries ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Low And Middle Income

Background.Less than 3% of articles published in the peer reviewed literature include data from low- and middle-income countries – where 90% of the world's infants live.Methods.In this paper, we discuss the context of infancy in Africa and the conditions of adversity obtaining in Africa.Results.We discuss the implications of poverty on parenting, and linked to this outline the impact of maternal depression on infant development.Conclusions.We outline three features of the field of infant mental health research in Africa, and issue a call for action about what we believe is needed in order to develop the field in the next decade.

Making a difference with research: Measuring the impact of mental health research

2013 ◽  
Vol 22 (2) ◽  
pp. 103-105 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michelle Cleary ◽  
Nandi Siegfried ◽  
Debra Jackson ◽  
Glenn E. Hunt
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Health Research ◽  
Mental Health Research ◽  
Making A Difference ◽  
The Impact

The Head Start Mental Health Research Consortium: New Directions for Research Partnerships

2000 ◽  
Vol 26 (1) ◽  
pp. 7-12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cheryl A. Boyce ◽  
Kimberly Hoagwood ◽  
Michael L. Lopez ◽  
Louisa B. Tarullo
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Head Start ◽  
Health Research ◽  
Mental Health Research ◽  
Research Partnerships ◽  
New Directions ◽  
Research Consortium

Attachment, Intellectual Disabilities and Mental Health: Research, Assessment and Intervention

2012 ◽  
Vol 26 (1) ◽  
pp. 34-46 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carlo Schuengel ◽  
Johanna Clasien de Schipper ◽  
Paula S. Sterkenburg ◽  
Sabina Kef
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Intellectual Disabilities ◽  
Health Research ◽  
Mental Health Research ◽  
Research Assessment

scholarly journals Mapping global Muslim mental health research: analysis of trends in the English literature from 2000 to 2015

2019 ◽  
Vol 6 ◽  
Author(s):  
H. H. Altalib ◽  
K. Elzamzamy ◽  
M. Fattah ◽  
S. S. Ali ◽  
R. Awaad
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Social Network ◽  
Social Network Analysis ◽  
Network Analysis ◽  
Health Research ◽  
Global Mental Health ◽  
English Literature ◽  
Mental Health Research ◽  
Post Traumatic Stress ◽  
The Impact

Background.By 2030, the global Muslim population is expected to reach 2.2 billion people. The representations of Islam and Muslims in the media and academic literature may unconsciously impact how clinicians perceive and approach their Muslim patients. Our study focuses on the emerging Muslim mental health (MMH) literature using bibliometric analysis, specifically social network analysis of word co-occurrence and co-authorship networks of academic publications, to describe how the content of MMH discourse is evolving.Methods.We conducted an Ovid search (including Medline and PsycInfo databases) to identify articles written in English from 2000 to 2015 that had the terms ‘Islam’ and/or ‘Muslim’ in the abstract as well as research conducted in Muslim-majority countries and among Muslim minorities in the rest of the world.Results.Of the 2652 articles on MMH, the majority (65.6%) focused on describing psychopathology; the minority (11.2%) focused on issues around stigma, religiosity, spirituality, identity, or acculturation. Among the top 15 most frequent terms in abstracts were ‘post-traumatic stress disorder’, ‘violence’, ‘fear’, ‘trauma’, and ‘war’. Social network analysis showed there was little collaborative work across regions.Conclusions.The challenges of producing MMH research are similar to the challenges faced across global mental health research. Much of the MMH research reflects regional challenges such as the impact of conflict and violence on mental health. Continued efforts to develop global mental health researchers through cross-cultural exchanges, academic journals' dedicated sections and programs for global mental health recruitment, and online training are needed to address the gap in research and collaborations.

scholarly journals An Exploration of the Effect of Community Engagement in Research on Perceived Outcomes of Partnered Mental Health Services Projects

2011 ◽  
Vol 1 (3) ◽  
pp. 185-199 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dmitry Khodyakov ◽  
Susan Stockdale ◽  
Felica Jones ◽  
Elizabeth Ohito ◽  
Andrea Jones ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Community Engagement ◽  
Vulnerable Populations ◽  
Health Research ◽  
Community Based Participatory Research ◽  
Mental Health Research ◽  
Research Projects ◽  
Complex Environments ◽  
Academic Leaders ◽  
The Impact

Mental health research projects address sensitive issues for vulnerable populations and are implemented in complex environments. Community-based participatory research approaches are recommended for health research on vulnerable populations, but little is known about how variation in participation affects outcomes of partnered research projects. We developed a conceptual model demonstrating the impact of community engagement in research on outcomes of partnered projects. We collected data on key constructs from community and academic leaders of 21 sampled partnered research projects in two cycles of a research center funded by the National Institute of Mental Health. We conducted empirical analyses to test the model. Our findings suggest that community engagement in research is positively associated with perceived professional development as well as political and community impact.

The value of carers in mental health research

2016 ◽  
Vol 15 (2) ◽  
pp. 83-92
Author(s):  
Helen Kara
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Health Research ◽  
Reference Group ◽  
Mental Health Research ◽  
Primary Data ◽  
Positive Contribution ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Group Members ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to assess the impact of a mental health carers’ research reference group on mental health research in the Heart of England region. Design/methodology/approach – The methodology was a co-produced participatory evaluation, and the research was co-produced by the group. The design involved a literature review of carers’ involvement in UK mental health research, and collection of secondary data (group records) and primary data from researchers, group members, and facilitators. Analysis was initially thematic, then synthesised. Findings – The group’s work had a positive impact on researchers and group members, and to some extent on mental health research and networks more widely. No negative impact was identified. Research limitations/implications – The researchers were not able to contact or include everyone who had been involved with the group. Some of those who did not give input may have felt less positive about the group than those who did respond. Co-production does not signify equality. Evaluation inevitably involves bias. Practical implications – The conclusion is that mental health carers have a unique and positive contribution to make to mental health research, and have the right to be involved in such research in a non-tokenistic way. This has practical implications for mental health and mental health research services. Originality/value – This is the first mental health carer-controlled evaluation of a mental health carer research reference group. Mental health carers conducted the research and wrote this paper, giving a perspective rarely found in the literature. This has value for people working in, studying, and researching mental health, and for other mental health carers.

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