scholarly journals Involuntary Outpatient Commitment and the Elusive Pursuit of Violence Prevention

2016 ◽  
Vol 62 (2) ◽  
pp. 102-108 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marvin S. Swartz ◽  
Sayanti Bhattacharya ◽  
Allison G. Robertson ◽  
Jeffrey W. Swanson

Objective: Involuntary outpatient commitment (OPC)—also referred to as ‘assisted outpatient treatment’ or ‘community treatment orders’—are civil court orders whereby persons with serious mental illness and repeated hospitalisations are ordered to adhere to community-based treatment. Increasingly, in the United States, OPC is promoted to policy makers as a means to prevent violence committed by persons with mental illness. This article reviews the background and context for promotion of OPC for violence prevention and the empirical evidence for the use of OPC for this goal. Method: Relevant publications were identified for review in PubMed, Ovid Medline, PsycINFO, personal communications, and relevant Internet searches of advocacy and policy-related publications. Results: Most research on OPC has focussed on outcomes such as community functioning and hospital recidivism and not on interpersonal violence. As a result, research on violence towards others has been limited but suggests that low-level acts of interpersonal violence such as minor, noninjurious altercations without weapon use and arrests can be reduced by OPC, but there is no evidence that OPC can reduce major acts of violence resulting in injury or weapon use. The impact of OPC on major violence, including mass shootings, is difficult to assess because of their low base rates. Conclusions: Effective implementation of OPC, when combined with intensive community services and applied for an adequate duration to take effect, can improve treatment adherence and related outcomes, but its promise as an effective means to reduce serious acts of violence is unknown.

2020 ◽  
pp. 152483802097968
Author(s):  
Sarah Lockwood ◽  
Carlos A. Cuevas

Traditionally, the literature has sought to understand the impact of racial minority status and trauma as it relates to interpersonal violence, domestic violence, and sexual assault. What has not been as extensively reviewed and summarized is how racially or ethnically motivated hate crimes impact the mental health of minorities—particularly Latinx/Hispanic groups. This review aims to summarize the current body of literature on the intersection of race-motivated hate crime and trauma responses within Latinx community. To do so, the theoretical foundation for this inquiry will build from a race-based trauma perspective. Specifically, this review connects existing frameworks for race and trauma and integrates literature that examines Latinx or Hispanic populations that have experienced discrimination, bias, or hate crime as a result of their identity or perceived identity. The importance of situating bias or hate events within the trauma literature stems from a lack of overall formal evaluation of these events, and how these occurrences are historically overlooked as a traumatic stressor. The findings of this review suggest that (1) experiencing racially motivated victimization can cause adverse mental and physical health outcomes in Latinxs and (2) currently, there is only one study that has examined the impact of hate crime on Latinxs in the United States. This leaves the field with unanswered questions about the impact of hate crime victimization among Latinxs, which is an ever-growing area in need of attention.


Author(s):  
Lauren Mizock ◽  
Zlatka Russinova

Chapter 1 reviews the history of psychiatric treatment of people with mental illness in the United States and Western Europe, highlighting past perspectives in care, such as ancient trephination and exorcism during the demonology era, humorism in early Greek and Roman thought, a return to demonological perspectives in the Middle Ages, as well as mesmerism and psychoanalysis in the 19th and 20th centuries. The 20th-century biological perspective is described, including the use of insulin shock therapy, electroconvulsive therapy, and lobotomy. Next, the development of more humane treatment approaches is discussed, such as the moral treatment movement of the 1800s. The ex-patient’s movement of the 1970s is reviewed, leading up to the contemporary recovery-oriented and psychosocial rehabilitation models of care. The impact of stigma on the acceptance of serious mental illness is explored throughout this history. Discussion questions, activities, and diagrams are also included.


2020 ◽  
pp. 088626052093851
Author(s):  
Mingqi Li ◽  
Edward C. Chang ◽  
Olivia D. Chang

With the growth of positive psychology during the past two decades, increased research has been focused on identifying human virtues that not only foster well-being but also act as positive processes that mitigate the impact of life adversities. Thus, it is useful to examine how positive processes, such as hope, may impact individuals’ psychological adjustment following adversities. This study investigated the relationships among interpersonal violence, hope, as a key human strength, and negative affect conditions in a large sample ( N = 737) of Chinese male and female ( Nfemale = 409) college students. Participants completed measures assessing prior exposure to interpersonal violence, levels of both hope components (i.e., agency and pathways), negative affect, depressive symptoms, and suicidal ideation. Results from correlational analyses showed that exposure to interpersonal violence was positively and hope was negatively correlated with negative affective conditions. However, hope agency was more strongly correlated with those outcomes than hope pathways. In addition, three separate hierarchical regression analyses indicated that after accounting for demographics (i.e., age and sex) and interpersonal violence, within hope components, only hope agency remained as strong concurrent predictors of negative affective conditions. The present findings in this Chinese sample are consistent with those obtained from Turkey and the United States samples, adding evidence to the more robust role of hope, and hope agency in particular, in predicting negative psychological adjustment associated with interpersonal violence. Efforts made to address the absence of hope agency may be particularly important in future attempts to mitigate negative affective conditions linked to interpersonal violence among Chinese college students.


2018 ◽  
Vol 33 (6) ◽  
pp. 1088-1101 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elizabeth A. Moschella ◽  
Sidney Turner ◽  
Victoria L. Banyard

Sexual assault (SA) and intimate partner violence (IPV) occur at alarming rates in the United States. Prior research indicates that victims of traumatic events frequently experience both positive and negative changes as part of their recovery process. The present study aimed to further existing research by examining the relationship between self-blame, posttraumatic growth (PTG), and happiness when controlling for posttraumatic stress and time since victimization. The current study analyzed 357 women who had experienced at least one incident of SA or IPV. We found that PTG partially mediated the relationship between self-blame and happiness, suggesting that PTG only somewhat explains the impact of self-blame on victim happiness. Implications of these findings and directions for future research are discussed.


Author(s):  
Wendy Coduti

Mental health (MH) and disability management (DM) businesses and DM professionals are proficient at addressing employee physical health, yet promoting employee MH is often ignored. Individuals claiming long-term disability (LTD), 85% identified MH conditions as their primary disability (Carls et al., 2012). Mental health LTD expenses are often higher due to longer recovery and challenges in return to work (Salkever, Goldman, Purushothaman, & Shinogle, 2000). Financial burdens of depression, anxiety, and emotional disorders are among the greatest of any disease condition in the workforce (Johnston et al., 2009). Globally, a fifth to a quarter of employees go to work everyday with a mental illness (Lorenzo-Romanella, 2011). Health care research has shown the impact of mental illness on work performance, however many employers and researchers are unaware of the value quality MH care has on employees and costs (Langlieb, & Kahn, 2005). The American Psychological Association (APA) identified five categories of workplace practices that promote psychological health in employees including: employee involvement; work-life balance; employee growth and development; health and safety; and employee recognition (APA, 2014). Organizational benefits of the five elements include: improved quality, performance and productivity; reduced absenteeism, presenteeism and turnover; fewer accidents and injuries; improved ability to attract and retain quality employees; improved customer service and satisfaction; and lower healthcare costs (APA, 2014). The presenters will discuss employer costs of MH claims and how psychologically healthy workplaces align with successful DM programs, decreasing MH claims and costs. Opportunities for future research include the United States Affordable Care Act (ACA) and its impact on MH (Mechanic, 2012) through provisions that encourage employers to adopt health promotion programs (Goetzel et al., 2012) and opportunities for research including comparisons of multinational employers regarding MH costs in countries with single payer systems, and in those without (United States), (Tanner, 2013).


PEDIATRICS ◽  
1985 ◽  
Vol 75 (2) ◽  
pp. 387-441
Author(s):  
Dolores A. Bryla

Following its introduction in 1947 for treatment of erythroblastosis fetalis and in 1949 for hyperbilirubinemia, exchange transfusion became accepted as the most effective means of preventing increasing serum bilirubin concentrations in the newborn infant from reaching a hazardous level.2 At that time, there was general agreement that the risk of bilirubin encephalopathy increased when serum bilirubin concentrations exceeded 20 mg/dL of serum and that this risk became greater with increasing concentrations. The safety of exchange transfusion was assessed by Boggs and Westphal14 in 1960 and found acceptable for that time. In 1958, Cremer et al22 reported a distinct lowering of serum bilirubin levels in infants exposed to direct sunlight. This observation was followed by development of light sources for exposure of infants to treat or prevent hyperbilirubinemia (phototherapy). Although phototherapy had been used and reported in Europe and South America, it was not until 1968 that the first study64 appeared in the pediatric literature of the United States. Other studies36,41,83 followed and suggested a potential role for phototherapy in the management of hyperbilirubinemia of the newborn infant. However, these studies suffered from lack of a sufficient number of patients to accommodate appropriate statistical adjustment procedures for the many known confounding variables. Also, these studies had inadequate numbers of control infants and phototherapy-treated infants who were followed long enough to perform evaluations of the impact of the mode of therapy on such parameters as hearing, sight, speech, IQ, and behavioral performance.31,74 DEVELOPMENT OF THE STUDY In May 1972, the National Research Council of the National Academy of Sciences established a Committee on Phototherapy in the Newborn.


2009 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 7927-7969 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. R. Reidmiller ◽  
A. M. Fiore ◽  
D. A. Jaffe ◽  
D. Bergmann ◽  
C. Cuvelier ◽  
...  

Abstract. As part of the Hemispheric Transport of Air Pollution (HTAP; http://www.htap.org/) project, we analyze results from 16 global and hemispheric chemical transport models and compare these to Clean Air Status and Trends Network (CASTNet) observations in the United States (US) for 2001. Using the policy-relevant maximum daily 8-h ozone (MDA8 O3) statistic, the multi-model ensemble represents the observations well (mean r2=0.57, ensemble bias=+4.1 ppbv for all regions and all seasons) despite a wide range in the individual model results. Correlations are strongest in the NorthEastern US during spring and fall (r2=0.68); and weakest in the Midwestern US in summer (r2=0.46). However, large positive mean biases exist during summer for all Eastern US regions, ranging from 10–20 ppbv, and a smaller negative bias is present in the Western US during spring (~3 ppbv). In most all other regions and seasons, the biases of the model ensemble simulations are ≤5 ppbv. Sensitivity simulations in which anthropogenic O3-precursor emissions (NOx+NMVOC+CO+aerosols) were decreased by 20% in each of four source regions: East Asia (EA), South Asia (SA), Europe (EU) and North America (NA) show that the greatest response of MDA8 O3 to the summed foreign emissions reductions occurs during spring in the West (0.9 ppbv reduction due to 20% reductions from EA+SA+EU). East Asia is the largest contributor to MDA8 O3 at all ranges of the O3 distribution for most regions (typically ~0.45 ppbv). The exception is in the NorthEastern US where European emissions reductions had the greatest impact on MDA8 O3, particularly in the middle of the MDA8 O3 distribution (response of ~0.35 ppbv between 35–55 ppbv). In all regions and seasons, however, O3-precursor emissions reductions of 20% in the NA source region decrease MDA8 O3 the most – by a factor of 2 to nearly 10 relative to foreign emissions reductions. The O3 response to anthropogenic NA emissions is greatest in the Eastern US during summer at the high end of the O3 distribution (5–6 ppbv for 20% reductions). While the impact of foreign emissions on surface O3 in the US is not negligible – and is of increasing concern given the growth in emissions upwind of the US – domestic emissions reductions remain a far more effective means of decreasing MDA8 O3 values, particularly those above 75 ppb (the current US standard).


2000 ◽  
Vol 45 (4) ◽  
pp. 383-385 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lisa McMurray ◽  
Warren Steiner

Objective: To review the literature on the responses of individuals with severe mental illness (SMI) to natural disasters, to describe the impact of the 1998 Ice Storm on a group of SMI patients, and to describe the steps taken at a Canadian university teaching hospital to ensure the ongoing provision of mental health services throughout the crisis. Method: Published articles describing the impact of natural disasters on SMI populations, as well as service provision to these patients, are reviewed. Service use at the Montreal General Hospital (MGH) Department of Psychiatry is described. A questionnaire about the impact of the ice storm was administered to a group of patients in an assertive community treatment program. Results: Service use during this natural disaster was consistent with that described in the literature, in that these patients were no more likely to be admitted or to visit the emergency room during the crisis. Continuous mental health service delivery may have contributed to this positive outcome. This service delivery was provided by ensuring staff access to information, by securing the physical safety of both staff and patients, and by taking a flexible, outreach-oriented approach to service delivery. Conclusions: SMI patients who have ongoing access to psychiatric services in disaster situations tend to cope well. A flexible, proactive, assertive approach to service delivery during the crisis situation will help to ensure that needs for care will be met.


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