scholarly journals Masculinity and Men's Mental Health

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Allen Elias Babu
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Help Seeking ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Male Victims ◽  
Popular Discourse ◽  
Active Factor ◽  
Theoretical Perspectives ◽  
Objective View ◽  
Traditional Masculinity ◽  
The Impact

A dialogue on mental health in males is seldom encountered in the popular discourse. The negligible instances which do find its mention are usually responses to, or supplementary statements to women’s issues or the general feminist discourse. The casually and liberally used ‘toxic masculinity’ is frequently laden with connotations of blame, which imply a sense of absolute agency of the concerned individuals with regard to the expression of their masculine gender identity. This research paper has been undertaken as an attempt to seek an honest, critical and objective view of the various factors influencing the mental health of males, wherein masculinity is assumed to be encompassing all such factors. In order to provide the essential context, the paper begins defining the concept of ‘masculinity’ as it is understood in the psychological discourse, followed by an inspection of the various psychological theories and constructions of ‘masculinity’ along with a brief discussion of its scales. Theoretical perspectives have then been combined with statistics to highlight the need and relevance for any research or dialogue thereof in these fields. This is followed by an investigation of the impact of Traditional Masculinity Ideology (TMI) on the overall well-being of men and on mental health in particular. Thereafter, the relation of TMI and various mental disorders in males has been examined. Furthermore, research has been provided to shed light on the incidence and helplessness of male victims of interpersonal trauma and systemic failures thereof. The newly emerging theoretical framework of Positive Psychology/Positive Masculinity (PPPM) Model has been discussed along with an exploration of its implications and its scope. The primary research undertaken within this paper has been presented which has been divided into 4 sections. Firstly, a rudimentary analysis has been conducted to test the validity and relevance of the Brannon Masculinity Scale (BMS). Thereafter, the relation of masculinity ratings with mental Health and help-seeking behaviours has been explored. The third section involves the introduction of a construct by the author, referred to as the Emotionally Active factor; its relation with mental Health and help-seeking behaviours has been analyzed. The relevance of the Emotionally Active factor has been highlighted, followed by a discussion on its implication and scope.

Acceptance of Mental Illness Among Men

2016 ◽  
pp. 102-114
Author(s):  
Lauren Mizock ◽  
Zlatka Russinova
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Illness ◽  
Help Seeking ◽  
Health Resources ◽  
Health Conditions ◽  
Self Medication ◽  
Supportive Relationships ◽  
Clinical Strategies ◽  
Traditional Masculinity ◽  
The Impact

This chapter explores the unique barriers and facilitators to acceptance that men with serious mental illness may experience. The values associated with traditional masculinity are discussed as they pertain to the process of accepting mental illness. Barriers specific to men in our research studies are detailed, including avoidance of help-seeking and self-medication with substance abuse. In addition, the literature on misdiagnosis and underdiagnosis of mental health conditions among men is presented. Facilitators to the process of acceptance for men in the present research are discussed, including accessing supportive relationships and other mental health resources. Several participant case narratives are provided in order to demonstrate the impact of various masculinities on the process of acceptance. A clinical strategies list, discussion questions, activities, the “Men’s Acceptance of Mental Health Worksheet,” and an explanatory table are included at the close of the chapter.

scholarly journals Perceived Impact of COVID-19 on Older Adults’ Mental Health and Barriers to Mental Health Care

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 725-726
Author(s):  
Grace Caskie ◽  
Madison Tschauner ◽  
Eve Root
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
Repeated Measures ◽  
Help Seeking ◽  
Geographical Location ◽  
Mental Healthcare ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Healthcare Barriers ◽  
Stress Isolation ◽  
The Impact

Abstract COVID-19 disproportionately impacted older adults in terms of fatalities, but also increased stress, isolation, and loneliness (Chen, 2020). We examined older adults’ anxiety, depression, and barriers to mental healthcare during the COVID-19 pandemic and their perceptions of these variables prior to the pandemic. Further, we explored whether any perceived changes differed based on geographical location (rural, suburban, urban). Data were collected online between mid-June and mid-July of 2020 from 244 individuals aged 65-82 years (M=68.3, SD=3.5). The sample was primarily White (91%) and female (60%); most (n=119) lived in suburban settings, with 63 in urban and 60 in rural settings. Repeated-measures ANOVAs at alpha=.01 showed that depressive symptoms, measured by the CESD-10 (p<.001), and anxiety symptoms, measured by the GAD-7 (p<.001), increased during the pandemic as did mental healthcare barriers related to transportation (p=.004) and beliefs that depression is a normal part of aging (p<.001). Only transportation concerns differed based on where older adults lived; those in rural (p<.001) and urban (p=.004) settings reported greater transportation barriers than those in suburban settings. No differences over time were found for barriers related to help-seeking (p=.403), stigma (p=.156), knowledge/fear (p=.180), finding a therapist (p=.030), ageism (p=.302), psychotherapist qualifications (p=.265), physician referrals (p=.207), or finances (p=.818). These findings highlight the impact of COVID-19 on older adults’ perceptions of changes in their psychological well-being as well as their experience navigating mental health services.

scholarly journals Strategies to Prevent Suicide in Schools and Communities

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anna S. Mueller ◽  
Sarah Diefendorf ◽  
Seth Abrutyn ◽  
Katie A. Beardall ◽  
Robert Gallagher ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Suicide Prevention ◽  
Help Seeking ◽  
Mental Healthcare ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Social Environments ◽  
Front Range ◽  
Tiered System ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Prevention In Schools

The Social Worlds and Youth Well-Being Study examines the impact of social environments on youth’s welfare, help-seeking, and resilience to identify strategies for improving youth mental health and suicide prevention in schools and communities. This study grew out of a shared desire between the Front Range School District (FRSD, a pseudonym) and the research team to identify new, sustainable, effective, and equitable strategies to improve suicide prevention in schools, families, and communities. This report presents our main findings from the study on the Colorado front range. The report discusses the strategies schools use to effectively prevent suicide, including building cultures of belonging, emphasizing whole child educational philosophies, and incorporating mental health into multi-tiered system of supports. The report also examines the important roles of families, mental healthcare, pediatricians and family medicine doctors, Safe2Tell, and faith communities in both suicide prevention and in supporting school-based suicide prevention. Finally, the report offers concrete policy recommendations and practical suggestions to improve suicide prevention in families, schools, and communities.

Supporting the Mental Health and Well-Being of First Responders from Career to Retirement: A Scoping Review

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-6
Author(s):  
Erin Smith ◽  
Greg Dean ◽  
Lisa Holmes
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Scoping Review ◽  
Help Seeking ◽  
First Responders ◽  
Well Being ◽  
First Responder ◽  
Help Seeking Behaviors ◽  
Holistic Approaches ◽  
Pubmed Database ◽  
Health And Well Being

Abstract Introduction: First responders are at greater risk of mental ill health and compromised well-being compared to the general population. It is important to identify strategies that will be effective in supporting mental health, both during and after the first responder’s career. Methods: A scoping review was conducted using the PubMed database (1966 to October 1, 2020) and the Google Scholar database (October 1, 2020) using relevant search terms, truncation symbols, and Boolean combination functions. The reference lists of all relevant publications were also reviewed to identify further publications. Results: A total of 172 publications were retrieved by the combined search strategies. Of these, 56 met the inclusion criteria and informed the results of this overview paper. These publications identified that strategies supporting first responder mental health and well-being need to break down stigma and build resilience. Normalizing conversations around mental health is integral for increasing help-seeking behaviors, both during a first responder’s career and in retirement. Organizations should consider the implementation of both pre-retirement and post-retirement support strategies to improve mental health and well-being. Conclusion: Strategies for supporting mental health and well-being need to be implemented early in the first responder career and reinforced throughout and into retirement. They should utilize holistic approaches which encourage “reaching in” rather than placing an onus on first responders to “reach out” when they are in crisis.

scholarly journals OP0082-PARE THE EFFECT COVID-19 HAS ON THE MENTAL HEALTH OF PEOPLE LIVING WITH RHEUMATIC DISEASES. FROM DATA TO INTERVENTIONS.

2021 ◽  
Vol 80 (Suppl 1) ◽  
pp. 44-45
Author(s):  
S. Mingolla ◽  
A. Celano ◽  
M. Santopietro
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Rheumatic Diseases ◽  
Rare Diseases ◽  
Psychological Impact ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Total Sample ◽  
Support Service ◽  
Health Condition ◽  
National Association ◽  
The Impact

Background:Covid-19 has had an important impact on the mental health conditions of over 5 million Italians suffering from one of the over 150 rheumatic diseases. In order to understand the psychological impact of the Covid-19 emergency and the restrictions imposed to counter it, the Italian National Association of People with Rheumatic and Rare Diseases – APMARR APS launched the research “Living with a rheumatic pathology”.Objectives:Gather data directly from Italian patients about the impact of the COVID-19 and consequent restrictions on their mental health and feelings; evaluate the most effective intervention to be implemented to face the pandemic by Patients organization.Methods:A qualitative-quantitative survey was carried out through a questionnaire administered throughout the national territory to a sample of N = 1,001 people. The people invited to complete the questionnaire were women (55,9%) and men (44,1%), aged 18-85 years (age 18-41=26,7%; age 42-65=64%; age >65=9,3%) with at least one rheumatic pathology. The questionnaire was made up of 39 questions, of which 29 were closed and 10 were open. For the administration of the questionnaires, the CAWI (Computer Aided Web Interview) methodology of on-line survey was used. The 1,001 interviews were carried out from 7 to 14 August 2020.Results:More than 4 out of 10 people (total sample 44.2%; male 60%, female 35,7%; age 18-41=39,1%; age 42-65=45,9%; age >65 = 50%) declared that the emergency period has somehow caused a worsening of their health condition. People declared that the deterioration of their health is due to the emergency period for the following reasons: 1) Psychological: such as stress and anxiety: “Too much stress and anxiety made the symptoms worse.”; “The stress of the quarantine affected my problem”; “Insomnia. Nervousness. General ailments. Depression. Strong stress” 2) Inability to perform physiotherapy and motor activities due to the lockdown 3) Postponement of examinations, visits and checks 4) remote working, in some cases described as harmful for people’s mental and physical health: “Due to Covid19 I had to do remote working and I worked even 12 hours a day including holidays to the detriment of my family life”.Furthermore, from January 31, 2020 a significant increase emerged in communication problems with rheumatology specialist compared to the period before the emergency due to Covid-19. The sharp increase may be due to the situation of severe psychological stress to which also the doctors were subjected in the emergency phase: people could not find the comfort of being empathically listened to.Conclusion:The research shows that the most frequent symptoms among people with rheumatic diseases were depression and high levels of anxiety due to strong emotional stress. Psychological malaise caused direct effects in worsening the symptoms of rheumatic disease as well as other related effects, for example, insomnia. The forced isolation due to the lockdown has made people lack the social support that is fundamental for the psychological well-being especially for those suffering from some chronic pathology. Starting from the data collected, APMARR promptly activated a completely free psychological support service with 6 professional psychologists, two of them specialized in emergency psychology. The service is accessible online and is still going on for all who are not able to overcome the anxiety and fear related to the pandemic and its evolution. Thousands of accesses to the service have been measured to date.References:S Mingolla1, A Celano1, M Santopietro2[1]NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF PEOPLE WITH RHEUMATIC AND RARE DISEASES - APMARR APS[2]WeResearch. Ricerche di marketingDisclosure of Interests:None declared

scholarly journals Assessing the impact of the European resilience curriculum in preschool, early and late primary school children

2021 ◽  
pp. 014303432110250
Author(s):  
Celeste Simões ◽  
Anabela C. Santos ◽  
Paula Lebre ◽  
João R. Daniel ◽  
Cátia Branquinho ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Intervention Group ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Primary School Children ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Physical And Mental Health ◽  
Quasi Experimental ◽  
Mental Health Difficulties ◽  
Prosocial Behaviours ◽  
The Impact

Resilience is an individual’s ability to adapt successfully to and persevere during and after significant challenges. Resilience programmes based on a socioemotional learning approach have been associated with an increase in protextive factors (e.g., prosocial competencies), improvements in physical and mental health, and a decrease in internalised and externalised symptoms. The present study aimed to evaluate the impact of the RESCUR curriculum implemented in Portuguese schools on students’ academic, behavioural, and socioemotional outcomes, based on child and teacher reports. Participants included 1,084 children (53.2% male) aged 3-15 ( M = 7.24, SD = 2.31). A quasi-experimental study compared outcomes for an experimental intervention group (AIG) with a waiting list control group (WG). The results showed the RESCUR programme decreased mental health difficulties while increasing both prosocial behaviours and well-being. In addition, academic performance increased for those in preschool after implementation. Both teachers and children consistently reported positive behavioural changes in resilience-related competencies after implementing RESCUR. Our findings contribute to the recent research on the potential of RESCUR to address key socioemotional competencies and improve relevant protextive factors. Study limitations and future recommendations are addressed.

scholarly journals Family Physicians’ Standpoint and Mental Health Assessment in the Light of COVID-19 Pandemic—A Nationwide Survey Study

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (4) ◽  
pp. 2093
Author(s):  
Tina Vilovic ◽  
Josko Bozic ◽  
Marino Vilovic ◽  
Doris Rusic ◽  
Sanja Zuzic Furlan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Health Care ◽  
Perceived Stress ◽  
Depression Scale ◽  
Family Physicians ◽  
Knowledge Score ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Anxiety And Depression ◽  
Event Scale ◽  
The Impact

During the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak, family physicians (FPs) are the backbone of the healthcare system with considerable impact on the general population, and their well-being is of great importance. The aim of this investigation was to assess FPs mental health, as well as knowledge, attitudes and practices (KAPs) regarding the pandemic, and opinions on non-communicable disease (NCD) health care provided to patients. A cross-sectional study was carried out with a sample of 613 FPs. Anxiety and depression levels were estimated with the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, subjective perceived stress with the Perceived Stress Scale, while trauma-related symptoms were assessed using the Impact on Event Scale-COVID19. KAPs toward the pandemic and opinions regarding NCD patients were evaluated with questionnaires accordingly. Results have shown that age (β = −0.02, p = 0.013) and personal risk of COVID‑19 (β = 1.05, p < 0.001) were significant independent correlates of the knowledge score. A total of 87.7% FPs expressed moderate/high perceived stress, 45.2% moderate/severe trauma-related symptoms, 60.4% borderline/abnormal anxiety levels, and 52.4% borderline/abnormal depression levels. Knowledge score was an independent predictor of perceived stress (β = −0.33, p = 0.023) and anxiety (β = −0.31, p = 0.006) levels. Limited accessibility to healthcare services and decreased number of newly-diagnosed NCD cases were mostly agreed on. The pandemic puts a considerable strain on FPs mental health, as well as on public health measures, due to the decreased overall quality of NCD patient health care. Educational programs may bridge the gaps between FPs’ knowledge. Thus lowering anxiety and improving patient care.

scholarly journals Maternal mental health and well-being during the COVID-19 pandemic in Beijing, China

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhuang Wei ◽  
Ming-Yue Gao ◽  
Mary Fewtrell ◽  
Jonathan Wells ◽  
Jin-Yue Yu
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Higher Education ◽  
Maternal Mental Health ◽  
Descriptive Analysis ◽  
Fair Division ◽  
Personal Space ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Maternal Characteristics ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Beijing China

Abstract Background The aim of this study is to evaluate the impact of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic on breastfeeding women and to identify predictors of maternal mental health and coping. Methods Mothers aged ≥ 18 years with a breast-fed infant ≤ 18 months of age during the COVID-19 pandemic in Beijing, China, completed a questionnaire. Descriptive analysis of lockdown consequences was performed and predictors of these outcomes were examined using stepwise linear regression. Results Of 2233 participants, 29.9%, 20.0% and 34.7% felt down, lonely, and worried, respectively, during the lockdown; however, 85.3% felt able to cope. Poorer maternal mental health was predicted by maternal (younger age, higher education) and infant (older age, lower gestation) characteristics, and social circumstances (husband unemployed or working from home, receiving advice from family, having enough space for the baby, living close to a park or green space). Conversely, better maternal mental health was predicted by higher income, employment requiring higher qualifications, more personal space at home, shopping or walking > once/week and lack of impact of COVID-19 on job or income. Mothers with higher education, more bedrooms, fair division of household chores and attending an online mother and baby group > once/week reported better coping. Conclusion The findings highlight maternal characteristics and circumstances that predict poorer mental health and reduced coping which could be used to target interventions in any future public health emergencies requiring social restrictions.

scholarly journals Scoping review of mental health in prisons through the COVID-19 pandemic

BMJ Open ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (5) ◽  
pp. e046547
Author(s):  
Luke Johnson ◽  
Kerry Gutridge ◽  
Julie Parkes ◽  
Anjana Roy ◽  
Emma Plugge
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Scoping Review ◽  
Grey Literature ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Health Impact ◽  
Poor Quality ◽  
Eligibility Criteria ◽  
Prison Staff ◽  
The Impact

ObjectiveTo examine the extent, nature and quality of literature on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the mental health of imprisoned people and prison staff.DesignScoping review.Data sourcesPubMed, Embase, CINAHL, Global Health, Cochrane, PsycINFO, PsychExtra, Web of Science and Scopus were searched for any paper from 2019 onwards that focused on the mental health impact of COVID-19 on imprisoned people and prison staff. A grey literature search focused on international and government sources and professional bodies representing healthcare, public health and prison staff was also performed. We also performed hand searching of the reference lists of included studies.Eligibility criteria for selection of studiesAll papers, regardless of study design, were included if they examined the mental health of imprisoned people or prison staff specifically during the COVID-19 pandemic. Imprisoned people could be of any age and from any countries. All languages were included. Two independent reviewers quality assessed appropriate papers.ResultsOf 647 articles found, 83 were eligible for inclusion, the majority (58%) of which were opinion pieces. The articles focused on the challenges to prisoner mental health. Fear of COVID-19, the impact of isolation, discontinuation of prison visits and reduced mental health services were all likely to have an adverse effect on the mental well-being of imprisoned people. The limited research and poor quality of articles included mean that the findings are not conclusive. However, they suggest a significant adverse impact on the mental health and well-being of those who live and work in prisons.ConclusionsIt is key to address the mental health impacts of the pandemic on people who live and work in prisons. These findings are discussed in terms of implications for getting the balance between infection control imperatives and the fundamental human rights of prison populations.

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