scholarly journals Institutional injustice: Implications for system transformation emerging from the mental health recovery narratives of people experiencing marginalisation

PLoS ONE ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (4) ◽  
pp. e0250367
Author(s):  
Ada Hui ◽  
Stefan Rennick-Egglestone ◽  
Donna Franklin ◽  
Rianna Walcott ◽  
Joy Llewellyn-Beardsley ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Lived Experience ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Personal Characteristics ◽  
Health Problems ◽  
System Transformation ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Work Requirement ◽  
Complex Needs ◽  
Dominant Discourses

Background Institutional injustice refers to structures that create disparities in resources, opportunities and representation. Marginalised people experience institutional injustice, inequalities and discrimination through intersecting personal characteristics and social circumstances. This study aimed to investigate sources of institutional injustice and their effects on marginalised people with experience of mental health problems. Methods Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 77 individuals from marginalised groups with experience of mental health problems, including psychosis, Black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) populations, complex needs and lived experience as a work requirement. These were analysed inductively enabling sensitising concepts to emerge. Findings Three processes of institutional injustice were identified: not being believed because of social status and personal backgrounds; not being heard where narratives did not align with dominant discourses, and not being acknowledged where aspects of identity were disregarded. Harmful outcomes included disengagement from formal institutions through fear and mistrust, tensions and reduced affiliation with informal institutions when trying to consolidate new ways of being, and damaging impacts on mental health and wellbeing through multiple oppression. Conclusions Institutional injustice perpetuates health inequalities and marginalised status. Master status, arising from dominant discourses and heuristic bias, overshadow the narratives and experiences of marginalised people. Cultural competency has the potential to improve heuristic availability through social understandings of narrative and experience, whilst coproduction and narrative development through approaches such as communities of practice might offer meaningful avenues for authentic expression.

scholarly journals Young offenders with mental health problems in transition

2014 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
pp. 232-243 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sarah Campbell ◽  
Stephen Abbott ◽  
Alan Simpson
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Young People ◽  
Service Use ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Resource Constraints ◽  
Health Problems ◽  
Young Offenders ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Complex Needs

Purpose – Disproportionately high numbers of young people in the British criminal justice system also have mental health problems. Relevant services often struggle to meet such complex needs, particularly as children become adults. The purpose of this paper is to discover the qualities of services valued by such young offenders. Design/methodology/approach – Semi-structured interviews with 15 young offenders with mental health problems. Findings – The young people valued continuity and sufficient time to develop trust in staff. From staff who showed concern and respect, and whose approach was informal, young people could accept help, advice and, when necessary, confrontation. They gained insight into themselves and how to modify their behaviour; knowledge about opportunities for work and education; and help with life skills. Research limitations/implications – The sample was small and likely to have been skewed towards those who are readiest to engage with services. Young people's views were not compared with their histories or actual service use. Practical implications – Other research indicates that helping relationships that demonstrate the qualities that client's value have more successful outcomes than those primarily reflecting professionals’ values. In a time of resource constraints, it seems unlikely that staff will be able to provide more contact and continuity than at present. This would be a precondition of working in accordance with the values of the young people reported here, especially when bridging the discontinuities between children's and adult services. Originality/value – Young offenders with mental health problems are rarely given a voice, particularly their views of what helps them.

Safe but isolated – an interview study with Iraqi refugees in Sweden about social networks, social support, and mental health

2020 ◽  
pp. 002076402095425 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maria Sundvall ◽  
David Titelman ◽  
Valerie DeMarinis ◽  
Liubov Borisova ◽  
Önver Çetrez
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Social Support ◽  
Social Networks ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Health Assessment ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Health Problems ◽  
Traumatic Experiences ◽  
Iraqi Refugees ◽  
Structured Interviews

Background: Problems with social networks and social support are known to be associated with mental ill-health in refugees. Social support after migration promotes resilience. Aim: To study how Iraqi refugees who arrived in Sweden after the year 2000 perceived their social networks and social support, and to relate the observed network characteristics and changes to the refugees’ mental health and well-being. Method: Semi-structured interviews with 31 refugees, including questions on background and migration experiences, a biographical network map, and three health assessment scales. The findings were analysed with descriptive statistics and content thematic analysis. Results: The respondents’ networks were diminished. Social support was continued to be provided mainly by family members and supplemented by support from authorities. The main themes of the refugee experience of post-migration challenges were weakened social networks, barriers to integration and challenges to cultural and religious belonging. Failed reunion and worrying about relatives was described as particularly painful. Negative contacts with authority persons were often seen as humiliating or discriminating. Acquiring a new cultural belonging was described as challenging. At the same time, changing family and gender roles made it more difficult to preserve and develop the culture of origin. Traumatic experiences and mental health problems were common in this group. Family issues were more often than integration difficulties associated with mental health problems. Conclusion: In order to strengthen post-migration well-being and adaptation, authorities should support the refugees’ social networks. Clinicians need to address post-migration problems and challenges, including the meaning and function of social networks.

scholarly journals Help Seeking and Access to Primary Care for People from “Hard-to-Reach” Groups with Common Mental Health Problems

2011 ◽  
Vol 2011 ◽  
pp. 1-10 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. Bristow ◽  
S. Edwards ◽  
E. Funnel ◽  
L. Fisher ◽  
L. Gask ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Primary Care ◽  
Help Seeking ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Health Problems ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Care Givers ◽  
Common Mental Health Problems ◽  
Access To Primary Care ◽  
The Uk

Background. In the UK, most people with mental health problems are managed in primary care. However, many individuals in need of help are not able to access care, either because it is not available, or because the individual's interaction with care-givers deters or diverts help-seeking. Aims. To understand the experience of seeking care for distress from the perspective of potential patients from “hard-to-reach” groups. Methods. A qualitative study using semi-structured interviews, analysed using a thematic framework. Results. Access to primary care is problematic in four main areas: how distress is conceptualised by individuals, the decision to seek help, barriers to help-seeking, and navigating and negotiating services. Conclusion. There are complex reasons why people from “hard-to-reach” groups may not conceptualise their distress as a biomedical problem. In addition, there are particular barriers to accessing primary care when distress is recognised by the person and help-seeking is attempted. We suggest how primary care could be more accessible to people from “hard-to-reach” groups including the need to offer a flexible, non-biomedical response to distress.

scholarly journals Vocational rehabilitation via social firms: a qualitative investigation of the views and experiences of employees with mental health problems, social firm managers and clinicians

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Nicola Morant ◽  
Alyssa Milton ◽  
Eleanor Gilbert ◽  
Sonia Johnson ◽  
Nicholas Parsons ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Focus Groups ◽  
Vocational Rehabilitation ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Health Problems ◽  
Management Support ◽  
Mental Health Clinicians ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
The Uk

Abstract Background Employment within social firms in the UK is under-developed and under-researched, but a potentially beneficial route to vocational rehabilitation for people with mental health problems. This study explores the views and experiences of employees with mental ill-health, managers of social firms and mental health clinicians, in order to understand the potential value of social firms for the vocational rehabilitation, employment and well-being of people with mental health problems. Methods Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 23 employees with mental health problems in 11 social firms in England. A focus group and individual interviews were conducted with 12 managers of social firms. Two focus groups were held with 16 mental health clinicians. Data were analysed using thematic analysis. Results Most employees expressed very positive views about working in a social firm. In responses from both employees and social firm managers, an overarching theme regarding the supportive ethos of social firms encompassed several related features: openness about mental health issues; peer, team and management support; flexibility; and support to progress and develop skills over time. Managers identified benefits of employing people with mental health problems who were sufficiently recovered. Knowledge of social firms within clinician focus groups was very limited, although clinicians thought they could be a welcome additional vocational resource. Conclusions High levels of job satisfaction among social firm employees may be explained by the supportive ethos of these working environments. Social firms have potential to be a helpful addition to the range of vocational pathways available for people with mental ill-health. Further mixed methods investigations of experiences and outcomes in order to understand who engages with and benefits from this form of vocational rehabilitation would be valuable in informing decisions about scaling up the model.

scholarly journals Understanding University Students’ Experiences, Perceptions, and Attitudes Toward Peers Displaying Mental Health-related Problems on Social Network Sites (Preprint)

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Taewan Kim ◽  
Hwajung Hong
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Social Support ◽  
College Students ◽  
At Risk ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Health Problems ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Design Guideline ◽  
Perceptions And Attitudes ◽  
Health Related

BACKGROUND College students are at a vulnerable age; among those with serious mental health problems, this period is frequently when the first episodes appear. As a result, college students are increasingly disclosing their vulnerable, stigmatized experiences on social networking sites (SNSs). Understanding students’ perceptions and attitudes toward their peers who are dealing with mental health problems is vital to the efforts to eliminate peer exclusion and foster social support. OBJECTIVE This work aims to provide a better understanding of how college perceive and react to their fellow students’ mental health related activities on SNSs. We investigate how students recognize, perceive, and react to peers who display mental health related challenges on SNSs. METHODS Survey with 226 students, and semi structured interviews with 20 students were conducted at six universities in South Korea. RESULTS We revealed that a considerable number of college students did not proactively provide support even when they identified at-risk peers because of stigmatized content, unusual online activities, or a gap between online and offline identities. We found that the students’ lack of knowledge, confidence, and expectations as well as their desire to maintain distance from at-risk peers hindered social support. CONCLUSIONS On the basis of this study’s finding, we discuss SNS design guideline that would help these platforms facilitate support exchanges among peers while minimizing potential risks.

scholarly journals What has changed in the experiences of people with mental health problems during the COVID-19 pandemic? Findings from follow-up interviews using a coproduced, participatory qualitative approach

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Prisha Shah ◽  
Jackie Hardy ◽  
Mary Birken ◽  
Una Foye ◽  
Rachel Rowan Olive ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Lived Experience ◽  
Mental Health Treatment ◽  
Service Use ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Online Advertising ◽  
Social Contact ◽  
Health Problems ◽  
Health Conditions ◽  
Mental Health Conditions

Purpose: We sought to understand how the experiences of people in the UK with pre-existing mental health conditions had developed during the course of the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: In September-October 2020 we interviewed adults with mental health conditions pre-dating the pandemic whom we had previously interviewed three months earlier. Participants had been recruited through online advertising and voluntary sector community organisations. Interviews were conducted by telephone or video-conference by researchers with lived experience of mental health difficulties and explored changes over time in experiences of participants of the pandemic. Results: We interviewed 44 people, achieving diversity of demographic characteristics and a range of mental health conditions and service use among our sample. Three overarching themes were derived from interviews. The first theme Spectrum of adaptation: to difficulties in access to, or the quality of, statutory mental health services, through developing new personal coping strategies or identifying alternative sources of support. The second theme is Accumulating pressures: from pandemic-related anxieties and sustained disruption to social contact and support, and to mental health treatment. The third theme Feeling overlooked: A sense of people with pre-existing mental health conditions being overlooked during the pandemic by policy-makers at all levels. The latter was compounded for people from ethnic minority communities or with physical health problems. Conclusion: Our study highlights the need to support marginalised groups who are at risk of increased inequalities, and to maintain crucial mental and physical healthcare and social care for people with existing mental health conditions, notwithstanding challenges of the pandemic.

Emotional Freedom Techniques—How to Make It Mainstream; a Thematic Analysis of Practitioners’ Views

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 28-43
Author(s):  
Janine Mitchell ◽  
Gerasimos Chatzidamianos ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Treatment Option ◽  
Thematic Analysis ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Health Problems ◽  
Therapeutic Modality ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Alternative Treatment Option ◽  
Common Mental Health Problems ◽  
Emotional Freedom Techniques

Background Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT) is proposed as an effective therapy for the treatment of common mental health problems. It has, however, been met with criticism and is not presently considered a mainstream treatment option for conditions such as anxiety or trauma. Conversely, both cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) and Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) have achieved recognition in advancing into mainstream status, yet EFT is still perceived as an alternative treatment option despite evidence of effectiveness, in more than 100 clinical trials and 40 research reviews and meta-analyses. Aims: By examining the views of trained practitioners, this project aimed to explore the barriers and the facilitators to EFT becoming a mainstream treatment option in the UK’s National Health Service (NHS) for common mental health problems. Method: Semi-structured interviews were conducted (N=12) exploring views of EFT practitioners. Transcripts were then subjected to thematic analysis. Results: Analysis of participants’ views resulted in three themes: (1) research as an asset and a challenge, (2) public perceptions of EFT as a therapeutic modality, and (3) EFT training standards. These themes are perceived as interlinked in the process of EFT becoming mainstream. Findings from this study indicate the requirement of further research evidence that is more widely disseminated to enable increased awareness to the public and those within the medical profession of EFT as a potentially beneficial adjunct intervention. Importantly, training for EFT therapists needs to be improved and standardized. Implications: Based on the results, a series of recommendations are discussed that aim to address the barriers identified.

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