Primary health professionals’ beliefs, experiences, and willingness to treat minor attracted persons

There is a desire and need among minor attracted persons (MAPs) to access support within the community, and this often begins with an approach to healthcare providers working in general medical/mental health settings. However, little is known about the experiences of these non-specialist professionals in relation to their beliefs, knowledge, and decision-making processes when working with patients who disclose sexual attractions to children. Using an online survey, this study explored the knowledge, comfort, competence, and treatment willingness of 220 non-specialist healthcare providers when faced with patients who disclose sexual attractions to children. We investigated the prevalence of these disclosures, clinician stigma, treatment priorities, and professionals’ willingness to report MAPs to external agencies because of their sexual attractions. Some key differences were found when comparing primary medical vs mental health professionals, including increased likelihood to view MAPs as dangerous, unable to control behaviors and that sexual attractions are an avoidable choice, in the former group. Both groups prioritized mental health treatment targets above controlling attractions and living with stigmatized attractions, although controlling or changing attractions were still relatively high priorities. Results indicated a need for further training, focusing on increasing comfort around working with MAPs, as this was associated with a greater willingness to work with this group. We identify current gaps in service provision for MAPs seeking professional support and discuss recommendations for professional training.

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Attitudes towards seclusion and restraint in mental health settings: findings from a large, community-based survey of consumers, carers and mental health professionals

Epidemiology and Psychiatric Sciences ◽

10.1017/s2045796016000585 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 26 (5) ◽

pp. 535-544 ◽

Cited By ~ 24

Author(s):

S. A. Kinner ◽

C. Harvey ◽

B. Hamilton ◽

L. Brophy ◽

C. Roper ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Human Rights ◽

Mental Health Service ◽

Health Service ◽

Mental Health Professionals ◽

Health Professionals ◽

Online Survey ◽

Service Providers ◽

Consumer Safety ◽

Mental Health Settings

Aims.There are growing calls to reduce, and where possible eliminate, the use of seclusion and restraint in mental health settings, but the attitudes and beliefs of consumers, carers and mental health professionals towards these practices are not well understood. The aim of this study was to compare the attitudes of mental health service consumers, carers and mental health professionals towards seclusion and restraint in mental health settings. In particular, it aimed to explore beliefs regarding whether elimination of seclusion and restraint was desirable and possible.Methods.In 2014, an online survey was developed and widely advertised in Australia via the National Mental Health Commission and through mental health networks. The survey adopted a mixed-methods design, including both quantitative and qualitative questions concerning participants’ demographic details, the use of seclusion and restraint in practice and their views on strategies for reducing and eliminating these practices.Results.In total 1150 survey responses were analysed. A large majority of participants believed that seclusion and restraint practices were likely to cause harm, breach human rights, compromise trust and potentially cause or trigger past trauma. Consumers were more likely than professionals to view these practices as harmful. The vast majority of participants believed that it was both desirable and feasible to eliminate mechanical restraint. Many participants, particularly professionals, believed that seclusion and some forms of restraint were likely to produce some benefits, including increasing consumer safety, increasing the safety of staff and others and setting behavioural boundaries.Conclusions.There was strong agreement across participant groups that the use of seclusion and restraint is harmful, breaches human rights and compromises the therapeutic relationship and trust between mental health service providers and those who experience these restrictive practices. However, some benefits were also identified, particularly by professionals. Participants had mixed views regarding the feasibility and desirability of eliminating these practices.

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Novel psychoactive substance use by mental health service consumers: an online survey of inpatient health professionals’ views and experiences

Advances in Dual Diagnosis ◽

10.1108/add-07-2017-0008 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 11 (1) ◽

pp. 30-39 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Elizabeth Hughes ◽

Dan Bressington ◽

Kathryn Sharratt ◽

Richard Gray

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Substance Use ◽

Mental Health Professionals ◽

Health Professionals ◽

Online Survey ◽

Health Staff ◽

Content Type ◽

Inpatient Mental Health ◽

Mental Health Settings ◽

The Impact

Purpose There is evidence that novel psychoactive substances (NPS) are commonly used by people with severe mental illness. The purpose of this paper is to undertake a scoping survey to explore the inpatient mental health workers’ perceptions of NPS use by consumers. Design/methodology/approach A cross-sectional online survey of mental health professionals is used in the study. The participants were opportunistically recruited through social media and professional networks. Findings A total of 98 participants (of 175 who started the survey) were included in the analysis. All reported that some patients had used NPS prior to admission. Over 90 per cent of participants reported observing at least one adverse event relating to NPS use in the previous month. The majority of participants reported that patients had used NPS during their inpatient admission. Three quarters were not clear if their workplace had a policy about NPS. Most wanted access to specific NPS information and training. The participants reported that they lacked the necessary knowledge and skills to manage NPS use in the patients they worked with. Research limitations/implications Whilst the authors are cautious about the generalisability (due to methodological limitations), the findings provide useful insight into the perceptions of inpatient staff regarding the extent and impact of NPS use including concerns regarding the impact on mental and physical health, as well as ease of availability and a need for specific training and guidance. Practical implications Mental health professionals require access to reliable and up-to-date information on changing trends in substance use. Local policies need to include guidance on the safe clinical management of substance use and ensure that NPS information is included. Originality/value To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first survey of the perceptions of mental health staff working in inpatient mental health settings regarding NPS. The findings suggest that NPS is a common phenomenon in inpatient mental health settings, and there is a need for more research on the impact of NPS on people with mental health problems.

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Physical activity and sedentary behaviour counselling: Attitudes and practices of mental health professionals

PLoS ONE ◽

10.1371/journal.pone.0254684 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 16 (7) ◽

pp. e0254684

Author(s):

Nipun Shrestha ◽

Zeljko Pedisic ◽

Danijel Jurakic ◽

Stuart J. H. Biddle ◽

Alexandra Parker

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Physical Activity ◽

Mental Illness ◽

Sedentary Behaviour ◽

Mental Health Professionals ◽

Health Professionals ◽

Mental Health Treatment ◽

Professional Training ◽

Depth Information ◽

Attitudes And Practices

Background Despite recent interest in the mental health benefits of increasing physical activity (PA) and reducing sedentary behaviour (SB), little is known about PA and SB counselling provided by mental health professionals. Therefore, the aim of this study was to explore the attitudes and practices of mental health professionals in recommending more PA and less SB to their clients. Methods Quantitative data were collected using a modified version of the Exercise in Mental Illness Questionnaire in a sample of 17 Australian mental health professionals. The collected data were reported using percentages (for categorical data) and means and standard deviations (for numerical data). Additionally, in focus group discussions, 10 mental health professionals provided in-depth information about their clinical practice, facilitators, and perceived barriers in recommending more PA and less SB. They also provided suggestions on how to potentially improve their PA and SB counselling practices. The focus groups were audio-recorded, transcribed and analysed using thematic analysis. Results Only 35.3% of participants have undergone formal training in recommending PA in the treatment of mental illness. Most participants (64.7%) ranked PA counselling among the top three types of mental health treatment. All participants reported recommending PA to their clients at least “occasionally”, while 88% of them also provided SB counselling. However, the recommendations provided were usually not specific. The most commonly reported barriers for providing PA and SB counselling were a lack of knowledge and confidence. Participants also believed that, if they were more active themselves, they would be in a better position to recommend PA to their clients, by sharing their own experience of evidence-informed strategies designed to increase PA and reduce SB. Conclusion The findings of this study indicate that mental health professionals commonly provide generic PA and SB counselling to their clients. PA and SB counselling in the mental health setting could be improved by: including training on PA and SB counselling in formal education and continued professional training for mental health professionals; implementing interventions to increase PA and reduce SB among mental health professionals themselves; and ensuring support from an exercise or PA promotion specialist as a part of a multi-disciplinary approach to mental health care.

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Psychometric Properties of the Korean Version of the Mental Health Professionals Stress Scale

Frontiers in Psychiatry ◽

10.3389/fpsyt.2021.685423 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 12 ◽

Author(s):

Eun Sol Lee ◽

Vin Ryu ◽

Ji Hyun Lee ◽

Hyeon Hong ◽

Hyeree Han ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Psychometric Properties ◽

Social Workers ◽

Mental Health Professionals ◽

Health Professionals ◽

Concurrent Validity ◽

Online Survey ◽

Factor Model ◽

Depression And Anxiety ◽

Stress Scale

Background: Job stress of mental health professionals can have a negative impact on them, particularly their psychological health and mortality, and may also affect organizations' and institutions' ability to provide quality mental health services to patients.Aim: This study aimed to: (1) investigate the validity and reliability of the Korean Mental Health Professionals Stress Scale (K-MHPSS), (2) develop K-MHPSS cut-off points to measure clinical depression and anxiety, and (3) examine whether specific stressors vary by area of expertise.Methodology: Data were collected via an online survey over 3 months, from August to October 2020. An online survey using a survey website was administered to volunteers who accessed the link and consented to participate. Data from 558 participants (200 clinical psychologists, 157 nurses, and 201 social workers) were included in the final analysis. Confirmatory and exploratory factor analyses were conducted to examine the factor structure of the K-MHPSS; concurrent validity of the scale was determined by analyzing correlation; internal consistency was determined by Cronbach's alpha coefficient. In addition, ROC curve analysis and Youden's index were used to estimate optimal cut-off points for K-MHPSS; one-way ANOVA was performed to investigate the difference among the three groups.Results: The seven-factor model of the original scale did not be replicated by Korean mental health professionals. The K-MHPSS had the best fit with the six-factor model, which consists of 34 items. Concurrent validity was confirmed, and overall reliability was found to be good. The K-MHPSS cut-off points for depression and anxiety appeared to slightly different by professional groups. Furthermore, nurses and social workers showed significantly higher total scores compared to clinical psychologists, and there are significant differences in subscale scores among professionals.Conclusion: The Korean version of the MHPSS has appropriate psychometric properties and can be used to assess the occupational stress of mental health professionals. It can also serve as a reference point for screening clinical level of depression and anxiety in mental health professionals.

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Rainbow experiences of accessing mental health support in Aotearoa New Zealand: A community-based mixed methods study

10.26686/wgtn.17147873 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

◽

Gloria Fraser

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

New Zealand ◽

Mental Health Professionals ◽

Health Professionals ◽

Community Members ◽

Community Based ◽

Aotearoa New Zealand ◽

Mental Health Settings ◽

Mental Health Support ◽

Health Support

<p>While we know that rainbow people in Aotearoa New Zealand (that is, people of diverse sexualities, genders, and sex characteristics) experience high rates of adverse mental health outcomes, we know much less about the extent to which Aotearoa’s rainbow community members are receiving the mental health support they need. To address this gap I used mixed methods and a reflexive community-based approach to extend current understandings of rainbow mental health support experiences, and to explore how the provision of mental health care can be improved for rainbow people in New Zealand. I first conducted interviews with 34 rainbow community young adults about their experiences of accessing mental health support. My thematic analysis showed that rainbow people across New Zealand faced significant structural barriers to accessing mental health support. Participants understood mental health settings as embedded within a heteronormative and cisnormative societal context, rather than as a safe place outside this context. This, together with a widespread silence from mental health professionals around rainbow identity, meant that participants actively negotiated coming out in mental health settings. Participants shared a variety of perspectives as to whether it should be standard practice for mental health professionals to ask about rainbow identities, but agreed on a number of subtle acts that could communicate a professional or service is rainbow-friendly. Knowledge about sexuality, gender, and sex characteristic diversity, together with clinical skills of empathy, validation, and affirmation, were described as key components for the provision of effective mental health support. I conducted a second thematic analysis of data from a subset of the initial interviews, in which 13 participants discussed their experiences of accessing gender-affirming healthcare. Participants reported a lack of funding for gender-affirming healthcare in New Zealand, and described its provision a “postcode lottery”; the care available was largely dependent on the region participants were living in. Mental health assessments for accessing gender-affirming care were often described as tests of whether participants were “really” transgender, and participants discussed the need to express their gender in a particular way in order to access the healthcare they needed. Thematic analyses of interview data informed the development of an online survey about rainbow peoples’ experiences of accessing mental health support and gender-affirming healthcare in New Zealand (n = 1575). Survey results closely reflected interview findings, indicating that rainbow people have mixed experiences in New Zealand’s mental health settings, and that accessing gender-affirming healthcare is a lengthy and convoluted process. Finally, interview and survey data were used to develop a resource for mental health professionals, to guide their work with rainbow clients. I sought and incorporated feedback from key stakeholders (n = 108) during resource development. I then distributed the resource to mental health professionals around New Zealand, both in print and online. Overall, my research shows that widespread knowledge gaps compromise the ability of New Zealand’s mental health professionals to provide culturally competent support to rainbow clients. Knowledge from this thesis can be used to increase awareness of rainbow community members’ mental health support needs, and to inform mental health professionals’ training and self-reflection around sexuality, gender, and sex characteristic diversity.</p>

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Professionals harnessing experiential knowledge in Dutch mental health settings

Mental Health and Social Inclusion ◽

10.1108/mhsi-08-2021-0054 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽

Author(s):

Simona Karbouniaris ◽

Alie Weerman ◽

Bea Dunnewind ◽

Jean Pierre Wilken ◽

Tineke A. Abma

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Mental Health Professionals ◽

Health Professionals ◽

Health Care Professionals ◽

Experiential Knowledge ◽

Research Approach ◽

Content Type ◽

Action Research Approach ◽

Mental Health Settings ◽

Four Levels

Purpose This study aims to explore the perspectives of mental health professionals who are in a process of integrating their own experiential knowledge in their professional role. This study considers implications for identity, dilemmas and challenges within the broader organization, when bringing experiential knowledge to practice. Design/methodology/approach As part of a participatory action research approach, qualitative methods have been used, such as in-depth interviews, discussions and observations during training and project team. Findings The actual use of experiential knowledge by mental health care professionals in their work affected four levels: their personal–professional development; the relation with service users; the relation with colleagues; and their position in the organization. Research limitations/implications Because of its limited context, this study may lack generalisability and further research with regard to psychologists and psychiatrists, as well as perceptions from users, is desirable. Social implications According to this study, social change starts from a bottom-up movement and synchronously should be facilitated by top-down policy. A dialogue with academic mental health professionals seems crucial to integrate this source of knowledge. Active collaboration with peer workers and supervisors is desired as well. Originality/value Professionals with lived experiences play an important role in working recovery-oriented, demonstrating bravery and resilience. Having dealt with mental health distress, they risked stigma and rejections when introducing this as a type of knowledge in current mental health service culture. Next to trainings to facilitate the personal–professional process, investments in the entire organization are needed to transform governance, policy and ethics.

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Associative stigma among mental health professionals in Singapore: a cross-sectional study

BMJ Open ◽

10.1136/bmjopen-2018-028179 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 9 (7) ◽

pp. e028179 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Louisa Picco ◽

Sherilyn Chang ◽

Edimansyah Abdin ◽

Boon Yiang Chua ◽

Qi Yuan ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Job Satisfaction ◽

Latent Class Analysis ◽

Mental Health Professionals ◽

Health Professionals ◽

Online Survey ◽

Latent Class ◽

Multinomial Logistic Regression ◽

Class Analysis ◽

Associative Stigma

Objectives(1) Investigate and explore whether different classes of associative stigma (the process by which a person experiences stigmatisation as a result of an association with another stigmatised person) could be identified using latent class analysis; (2) determine the sociodemographic and employment-related correlates of associative stigma and (3) examine the relationship between associative stigma and job satisfaction, among mental health professionals.DesignCross-sectional online survey.ParticipantsDoctors, nurses and allied health staff, working in Singapore.MethodsStaff (n=462) completed an online survey, which comprised 11 associative stigma items and also captured sociodemographic and job satisfaction-related information. Latent class analysis was used to classify associative stigma on patterns of observed categorical variables. Multinomial logistic regression was used to examine associations between sociodemographic and employment-related factors and the different classes, while multiple linear regression analyses were used to examine the relationship between associative stigma and job satisfaction.ResultsThe latent class analysis revealed that items formed a three-class model where the classes were classified as ‘no/low associative stigma’, ‘moderate associative stigma’ and ‘high associative stigma’. 48.7%, 40.5% and 10.8% of the population comprised no/low, moderate and high associative stigma classes, respectively. Multinomial logistic regression showed that years of service and occupation were significantly associated with moderate associative stigma, while factors associated with high associative stigma were education, ethnicity and occupation. Multiple linear regression analyses revealed that high associative stigma was significantly associated with lower job satisfaction scores.ConclusionAssociative stigma was not uncommon among mental health professionals and was associated with sociodemographic factors and poorer job satisfaction. Associative stigma has received comparatively little attention from empirical researchers and continued efforts to address this understudied yet important construct in conjunction with future efforts to dispel misconceptions related to mental illnesses are needed.

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Exploring Mental Health Professionals’ Experiences of Intimate Partner Violence–Related Training: Results From a Global Survey

Journal of Interpersonal Violence ◽

10.1177/0886260520908020 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 088626052090802 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Samantha C. Burns ◽

Cary S. Kogan ◽

Richard E. Heyman ◽

Heather M. Foran ◽

Amy M. Smith Slep ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Intimate Partner Violence ◽

Mental Health Professionals ◽

Health Professionals ◽

Partner Violence ◽

Global Mental Health ◽

Public Health Problem ◽

Intimate Partner ◽

Relationship Problems ◽

Mental Health Settings

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a global public health problem that has been shown to lead to serious mental health consequences. Due to its frequent co-occurrence with psychiatric disorders, it is important to assess for IPV in mental health settings to improve treatment planning and referral. However, lack of training in how to identify and respond to IPV has been identified as a barrier for the assessment of IPV. The present study seeks to better understand this IPV-related training gap by assessing global mental health professionals’ experiences of IPV-related training and factors that contribute to their likelihood of receiving training. Participants were French-, Spanish-, and Japanese-speaking psychologists and psychiatrists ( N = 321) from 24 nations differing on variables related to IPV, including IPV prevalence, IPV-related norms, and IPV-related laws. Participants responded to an online survey asking them to describe their experiences of IPV-related training (i.e., components and hours of training) and were asked to rate the frequency with which they encountered IPV in clinical practice and their level of knowledge and experience related to relationship problems; 53.1% of participants indicated that they had received IPV-related training. Clinicians from countries with relatively better implemented laws addressing IPV and those who encountered IPV more often in their regular practice were more likely to have received training. Participants who had received IPV-related training, relative to those without training, were more likely to report greater knowledge and experience related to relationship problems. Findings suggest that clinicians’ awareness of IPV and the institutional context in which they practice are related to training. Training, in turn, is associated with subjective appraisals of knowledge and experience related to relationship problems. Increasing institutional efforts to address IPV (e.g., implementing IPV legislation) may contribute to improved practices with regard to IPV in mental health settings.

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Why Do Approved Mental Health Professionals Think Detentions under the Mental Health Act Are Rising and What Do They Think Should Be Done about It?

The British Journal of Social Work ◽

10.1093/bjsw/bcaa001 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 50 (2) ◽

pp. 616-633 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Michael Bonnet ◽

Nicola Moran

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Mental Health Services ◽

Health Services ◽

Mental Health Professionals ◽

Health Professionals ◽

Online Survey ◽

Social Risk ◽

Social Risk Factors ◽

Mental Health Act ◽

The Impact

Abstract The number of people detained under the 1983 Mental Health Act has risen significantly in recent years and has recently been the subject of an independent review. Most existing research into the rise in detentions has tended to prioritise the perspectives of psychiatrists and failed to consider the views of Approved Mental Health Professionals (AMHPs), usually social workers, who ultimately determine whether detention is appropriate. This mixed-methods study focused on AMHPs’ views on the reasons behind the rise in detentions and potential solutions. It included a national online survey of AMHPs (n = 160) and semi-structured interviews with six AMHPs within a Community Mental Health Team in England. AMHPs reported that demand for mental health services vastly exceeded supply and, due to inadequate resources, more people were being detained in hospital. AMHPs argued that greater investment in preventative mental health services and ‘low intensity’ support would help to mitigate the impact of social risk factors on mental health; and greater investment in crisis services, including non-medical alternatives to hospital, was required. Such investment at either end of the spectrum was expected to be more effective than changes to the law and lead to better outcomes for mental health service users.

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