Asking the Hard Questions: Psychologists’ Discomfort With Inquiring About Sexual Abuse Histories

2021 ◽  
pp. 107780122110145
Author(s):  
Belinda Nixon ◽  
Elly Quinlan
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Sexual Abuse ◽  
Mental Health Professionals ◽  
Thematic Analysis ◽  
Health Professionals ◽  
Early Career ◽  
Evidence Based ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Early Career Psychologists ◽  
University Training

The literature on sexual abuse indicates low rates of inquiry by mental health professionals. This study explores early career psychologists’ experiences of inquiry into their clients’ sexual abuse histories. Twelve Australian psychologists participated in semi-structured interviews with transcripts analyzed using thematic analysis. The vast majority of participants reported that they did not routinely inquire about sexual abuse with barriers including not knowing what to do, discomfort, stigma, and fear of negative outcomes. Participants asserted that their university training in sexual abuse inquiry was inadequate. Findings emphasize the need for the development of an evidence-based framework for sexual abuse training.

scholarly journals On the Question of Integrating Spirituality with Counselling in India

2016 ◽  
Vol 15 (1) ◽  
pp. 35
Author(s):  
Thomas Joseph Parayil ◽  
Tony Sam George
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Health Professionals ◽  
Thematic Analysis ◽  
Health Professionals ◽  
Qualitative Data ◽  
Treatment Process ◽  
Years Of Experience ◽  
Structured Interviews

This paper explores the therapists’ views and experience on spiritual components in counselling. Qualitative data were collected through semi-structured interviews, and thematic analysis used. The participants were nine mental health professionals from different backgrounds with 15 to 30 years of experience in the field. The four main themes that emerged are faith in God, the power of prayer, forgiveness and wholesome treatment process  

Child Sexual Abuse

2018 ◽  
pp. 166-178
Author(s):  
Aneesh Kumar P. ◽  
Bhagyalakshmi K. C. ◽  
Jennifer M. Foster
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Sexual Abuse ◽  
Mental Health Professionals ◽  
Health Professionals ◽  
Prevention Programs ◽  
Teacher Preparedness ◽  
Evidence Based ◽  
School Age ◽  
School Based ◽  
Type Of School

The objective of this chapter is to understand the different school-based prevention programs and policies in India. The chapter highlights the strengths and challenges of the existing programs. The type of school, age of children, community perceptions and beliefs, lack of professional support and teacher preparedness are some of the factors that impact the effectiveness of CSA prevention programs. Effective programs have led to feeling of empowerment among children and better wellbeing. The chapter also throws light on the need for evidence-based prevention and intervention programs. The result is the illustration of the need for mental health professionals both at planning and implementation levels.

The 15 Minute Case Conceptualization

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Len Sperry ◽  
Jonathan Sperry
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Health Professionals ◽  
Health Professionals ◽  
Premature Termination ◽  
Clinical Skills ◽  
Evidence Based ◽  
Case Conceptualization ◽  
Highly Effective ◽  
Case Conceptualizations ◽  
Overall Effectiveness

Once understood as useful but optional, case conceptualization is now considered essential and one of the most important of all clinical skills and competencies. As clinicians look for resources to assist in learning and mastering this competency, they must choose among different case conceptualization approaches. They would do well to give serious consideration to those that are both clinically effective and clinician friendly. A truly clinically effective approach explains and guides treatment, and most importantly, predicts challenges and obstacles that are likely to arise over the course of treatment. Most approaches emphasize the functions of explanation and guiding treatment, but seldom include third function which help anticipates likely challenges, which if not proactively addressed are likely to result in therapy interference or premature termination. This function is essential in determining the course and overall effectiveness of therapy. A truly clinician-friendly approach is one that is quick to use and easy to master, and very few approaches can make this claim. The 15 Minute Case Conceptualization is the only approach that is both highly effective and clinician friendly. Research confirms that such case conceptualizations can be completed in only 15 minutes. It is an evidence-based, step-by-step approach that therapists and other mental health professionals need and want.

The transition between mental health services in Scotland

2018 ◽  
Vol 23 (1) ◽  
pp. 12-24 ◽  
Author(s):  
Juliette van der Kamp
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Health Services ◽  
Health Services ◽  
Mental Health Professionals ◽  
Health Professionals ◽  
Transition Period ◽  
Organisational Development ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Experience Difficulty

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to describe the barriers and facilitators to an effective transition from Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) to Adult Mental Health Services (AMHS). It also presents a new entry into considering how the transition can be improved. Design/methodology/approach Insights into the transition from CAMHS to AMHS were gathered through eight semi-structured interviews with mental health professionals. Two methods of data analysis were employed to explore the emerging themes in the data and the observed deficit approach to organisational development. Findings The findings identified a vast volume of barriers in comparison to facilitators to the transition. Adolescents who transition from CAMHS to AMHS initially experience difficulty adapting to the differences in the services due to the short duration of the transition period. However, despite the established barriers to the transition, adolescents tend to adapt to the differences between the services. Findings also showed a negative framing towards the transition amongst the mental health professionals which resembles a deficit approach to organisational development. Originality/value This paper explores mental health professionals’ perspectives regarding the transition in Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland. The transition is increasingly recognised as an area in health care that requires improvement. This research provides a new way to consider the transition by exploring the perceived deficit approach to organisational development in the services.

scholarly journals The Psychological Impact of Covid-19 on University Students: Their Expectations of Mental Health Professionals

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (4) ◽  
pp. 1-20
Author(s):  
M.Siyabend KAYA ◽  
Yavuz KOŞAN
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
University Students ◽  
Mental Health Professionals ◽  
Health Professionals ◽  
Psychosocial Support ◽  
Qualitative Content Analysis ◽  
Psychological Impact ◽  
Depression And Anxiety ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Main Effects

The current study focused on exploring the psychological impact of the COVID -19 outbreak on university students and participants' expectations of mental health professionals. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 80 university students aged 18 to 33 years from 19 cities in Turkey. Qualitative content analysis was used to identify important aspects of the students' experiences. According to the results, the main effects of the epidemic COVID -19 on the participants were depression and anxiety. We found that participants used various ways to cope with COVID -19 such as reading books and paying attention to hygiene. Participants also indicated that they perceived some positive situations, such as the value of nature and humanity, the importance of family, and various negative situations, such as mental exhaustion. Finally, participants stressed that they had different expectations regarding psychosocial support and the planning of individual activities by mental health professionals

Work challenges negatively affecting the job satisfaction of early career community mental health professionals working in rural Australia: findings from a qualitative study

2018 ◽  
Vol 13 (3) ◽  
pp. 173-186 ◽  
Author(s):  
Catherine Cosgrave ◽  
Myfanwy Maple ◽  
Rafat Hussain
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Job Satisfaction ◽  
Public Sector ◽  
Community Mental Health ◽  
Mental Health Professionals ◽  
Health Professionals ◽  
Physical Geography ◽  
Early Career ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Time Critical

Purpose Some of Australia’s most severe and protracted workforce shortages are in public sector community mental health (CMH) services. Research identifying the factors affecting staff turnover of this workforce has been limited. The purpose of this paper is to identify work factors negatively affecting the job satisfaction of early career health professionals working in rural Australia’s public sector CMH services. Design/methodology/approach In total, 25 health professionals working in rural and remote CMH services in New South Wales (NSW), Australia, for NSW Health participated in in-depth, semi-structured interviews. Findings The study identified five work-related challenges negatively affecting job satisfaction: developing a profession-specific identity; providing quality multidisciplinary care; working in a resource-constrained service environment; working with a demanding client group; and managing personal and professional boundaries. Practical implications These findings highlight the need to provide time-critical supports to address the challenges facing rural-based CMH professionals in their early career years in order to maximise job satisfaction and reduce avoidable turnover. Originality/value Overall, the study found that the factors negatively affecting the job satisfaction of early career rural-based CMH professionals affects all professionals working in rural CMH, and these negative effects increase with service remoteness. For those in early career, having to simultaneously deal with significant rural health and sector-specific constraints and professional challenges has a negative multiplier effect on their job satisfaction. It is this phenomenon that likely explains the high levels of job dissatisfaction and turnover found among Australia’s rural-based early career CMH professionals. By understanding these multiple and simultaneous pressures on rural-based early career CMH professionals, public health services and governments involved in addressing rural mental health workforce issues will be better able to identify and implement time-critical supports for this cohort of workers. These findings and proposed strategies potentially have relevance beyond Australia’s rural CMH workforce to Australia’s broader early career nursing and allied health rural workforce as well as internationally for other countries that have a similar physical geography and health system.

The Pattern-Focused Case Conceptualization Approach

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-12
Author(s):  
Len Sperry ◽  
Jon Sperry
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Treatment Outcomes ◽  
Mental Health Professionals ◽  
Health Professionals ◽  
Evidence Based ◽  
Case Conceptualization ◽  
Clinical Competencies ◽  
Psychotherapy Practice ◽  
Key Points ◽  
Behavioral Markers

In this era of accountability, therapists and other mental health professionals are expected to employ evidence-based interventions to achieve therapeutic change. Case conceptualization is an intervention that many consider one of the most essential clinical competencies. A useful case conceptualization approach, at a minimum, should explain the presenting problem and guide the planning and implementation of treatment. Approaches that are more clinically valuable will include a third function: anticipate and predict challenges in the treatment process. Analogous to the paradigm shift toward personalized treatments in precision medicine based on biomarkers is a similar shift occurring in psychotherapy practice. It will be based on behavioral markers like the ones in the pattern-focused case conceptualization approach and can explain, guide, and predict treatment challenges, as well as optimize treatment outcomes. A case example illustrates key points.

In Graduate School, I Learned What I Need to Know About Running a Successful Practice

2019 ◽  
pp. 3-6
Author(s):  
Jeffrey E. Barnett ◽  
Jeffrey Zimmerman
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Health Professionals ◽  
Graduate School ◽  
Health Professionals ◽  
Private Practice ◽  
Clinical Skills ◽  
Early Career ◽  
Key Issues ◽  
Financial Issues ◽  
And Training

Although most mental health professionals receive excellent education and training that helps them to become competent and highly effective clinicians, graduate school tends not to provide training in the business side of practice that is needed for success in private practice. Many trainees and early-career clinicians may think they learned in graduate school all they need to know to be successful in the business of practice. Unfortunately, this is generally not true and many of those who enter private practice are poorly prepared for planning, establishing, and running a successful private practice. This chapter addresses the key issues every mental health clinician should know about when contemplating opening a private practice. Business and financial issues are addressed, including developing a business plan and utilizing various consultants. This chapter addresses the myth that excellent clinical skills are sufficient for success in the business of private mental health practice.

scholarly journals Mental health professionals’ perceptions on patients control of data sharing

2020 ◽  
Vol 26 (3) ◽  
pp. 2011-2029 ◽  
Author(s):  
Julia Ivanova ◽  
Adela Grando ◽  
Anita Murcko ◽  
Michael Saks ◽  
Mary Jo Whitfield ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Health Information ◽  
Data Sharing ◽  
Mental Health Professionals ◽  
Health Professionals ◽  
Health Care Professionals ◽  
Health Data ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Timely Access ◽  
The Impact

Integrated mental and physical care environments require data sharing, but little is known about health professionals’ perceptions of patient-controlled health data sharing. We describe mental health professionals’ views on patient-controlled data sharing using semi-structured interviews and a mixed-method analysis with thematic coding. Health information rights, specifically those of patients and health care professionals, emerged as a key theme. Behavioral health professionals identified patient motivations for non-sharing sensitive mental health records relating to substance use, emergency treatment, and serious mental illness (94%). We explore conflicts between professional need for timely access to health information and patient desire to withhold some data categories. Health professionals’ views on data sharing are integral to the redesign of health data sharing and informed consent. As well, they seek clarity about the impact of patient-controlled sharing on health professionals’ roles and scope of practice.

scholarly journals Approved mental health professionals: A jack of all trades? Hybrid professional roles within a mental health occupation

2019 ◽  
Vol 19 (5-6) ◽  
pp. 987-1006 ◽  
Author(s):  
Caroline Leah
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Health Professionals ◽  
Health Professionals ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Mental Health Nursing ◽  
Hybrid Identities ◽  
Study Approach ◽  
Health Occupation ◽  
Mixed Origin ◽  
Health Nursing

This article presents findings from the Hybrid Identities Project that investigated the professional role and identities of ten multi-professional Approved Mental Health Professionals (AMHPs) from social work, mental health nursing and occupational therapy backgrounds as hybrid professionals. Hybrid professionals are professionals of a mixed origin who work across several roles and areas of expertise within public services. AMHPs have a legal role within the Mental Health Act 1983 (2007) in England and Wales to plan the assessment of individuals who require care and treatment for a mental disorder. An intrinsic case study approach was undertaken with data generated through semi-structured interviews that examined professional hybridisation, illustrated through AMHPs’ enactment of eight hybrid roles. The article contributes to empirical understandings of AMHP professional practice through advancing ideas about role hybridisation within a previously under-researched mental health occupation.

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