Suicide-Related Knowledge and Attitudes among a Sample of Mental Health Professionals

Inadequate knowledge of the potential signs and risk factors of suicide negatively affects the ability of healthcare professionals to recognize patients at risk of suicide. The principal aim of the present study is to assess the attitudes and knowledge about suicide in a large sample of mental health professionals. We examined the relationship between Suicide Knowledge and Skills Questionnaire items and the experience of a patient dying by suicide. We also examined whether various healthcare professionals respond differently to the items of the Impact of a Patient’s Suicide on Professional and Personal Lives Scale. Results demonstrated that healthcare professionals who had experienced a patient suicide reported greater skills than professionals who had not experienced a patient suicide. However, 44% of professionals who had experienced a patient suicide felt that they did not have adequate training on this particular issue. Among those who had experienced a patient suicide, there was an increased tendency to hospitalize patients with suicide risk and an increased use of collegial consultation. Concerning personal emotions, healthcare professionals reported troubled relationships with family members and friends and the loss of self-esteem. In conclusion, better knowledge and attitudes about suicide are necessary for suicide-prevention strategies.

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Dentistry students’ views about mental illness and impact of a targeted seminar on knowledge and attitudes: a mixed-method study

The Journal of Mental Health Training Education and Practice ◽

10.1108/jmhtep-05-2014-0013 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 9 (3) ◽

pp. 190-202 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Susan Patterson ◽

Pauline Ford

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Mental Illness ◽

Mental Disorder ◽

Mental Health Professionals ◽

Health Professionals ◽

Dental Students ◽

Content Type ◽

Knowledge And Attitudes ◽

People With Mental Illness ◽

The Impact

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to inform education of non-mental health professionals who provide care to people with severe mental illness; to describe dentistry students’ knowledge and views about mental illness, including willingness to engage in various social situations with a person hospitalised for mental illness; and to assess and understand the impact of a targeted lecture on views and attitudes. Design/methodology/approach – The paper employed mixed methods to examine dental students’ knowledge and views about mental disorder before and after a seminar covering mental disorder, disadvantage and oral health. Findings from a bespoke questionnaire administered to third-year dental students were triangulated with qualitative data gathered in interviews with a subsample. Findings – Students understood mental disorder broadly, employing diverse causal models. Although knowledge was typically grounded in media stereotypes, attitudes were benevolent and most students reported willingness to provide dental care to affected individuals. The seminar, especially the consumer delivered section, was valued and associated with increased appreciation of the impact of mental disorder on oral health and need for assertive action to promote access to care. However, students reported being reluctant to disclose their own mental health problems for fear of being considered a professional or personal failure. A minority knew how to seek support if a friend talked of suicide. Research limitations/implications – This study highlights the need for further investigation of the knowledge and attitudes of dentistry students pertinent to provision of care to people with mental illness and to examine the links between attitudes and practice. The paper also provides a useful foundation for development of brief educational interventions, particularly the value in integrating the service user perspective, and their evaluation. Research should also examine the impact of mental health education on practice. Practical implications – A single inexpensive educational session, such as the one the paper developed may support reconsideration of often unconscious views of mental illness which might affect practice. Social implications – If people with mental illness are to receive equitable access to health care, non-mental health professionals should be supported to develop knowledge and attitudes which are conducive to inclusive treatment. An education session such as this could be helpful. Originality/value – There is scant literature examining attitudes of dentistry students and no reports of mental health-specific education with this population.

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The impact of a co-produced personality disorder training on staff burnout, knowledge and attitudes

Mental Health Review Journal ◽

10.1108/mhrj-01-2020-0009 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 25 (3) ◽

pp. 269-280

Author(s):

Chloe Finamore ◽

Fiammetta Rocca ◽

Jennie Parker ◽

Julia Blazdell ◽

Oliver Dale

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Personality Disorder ◽

Mental Health Professionals ◽

Health Professionals ◽

Emotional Reactions ◽

Production Model ◽

Content Type ◽

Knowledge And Attitudes ◽

Mental Health Settings ◽

The Impact

Purpose Mental health professionals working with patients with personality disorder are at risk of burnout. Burnout can adversely affect workforce retention and the delivery of high-quality care. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the impact of the three-day Knowledge and Understanding Framework (KUF) awareness-level personality disorder training on burnout, knowledge and attitudes in staff working in mental health settings. Design/methodology/approach A total of 253 mental health professionals attended the KUF training, delivered through a co-production model (i.e. co-delivered by a mental health professional and service user consultant with lived experience). Questionnaires were administered at pre- and post-training to assess changes in burnout symptoms and understanding, perceived capabilities and emotional reactions concerning personality disorder. Findings There were improvements in two burnout domains: decreases in emotional exhaustion (p = 0.009) and increases in personal accomplishment (p < 0.001) between pre-and post-training. Significant improvements were found in understanding, perceived capabilities and emotional reactions (p < 0.001). Research limitations/implications This evaluation is limited by a lack of a control group and long-term follow-up. Further research is required to investigate the sustainability of reductions in burnout for mental health professionals attending training and supervision structures. Originality/value KUF training may contribute to reductions in the high levels of burnout often experienced amongst staff working in mental health settings and could form a part of a broader strategy focussing on continued supervision and opportunities to integrate learning into practice.

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What Gives a Diagnostic Label Value? Common Use Over Informativeness

10.31234/osf.io/er6ku ◽

2019 ◽

Author(s):

Babak Hemmatian ◽

Sze Yu Yu Chan ◽

Steven A. Sloman

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Mental Health Professionals ◽

Health Professionals ◽

Causal Relation ◽

Causal Beliefs ◽

Diagnostic Categories ◽

Diagnostic Labels ◽

Diagnostic Label ◽

The Impact ◽

Practical Implications

A label’s entrenchment, its degree of use by members of a community, affects its perceived explanatory value even if the label provides no substantive information (Hemmatian & Sloman, 2018). In three experiments, we show that laypersons and mental health professionals see entrenched psychiatric and non-psychiatric diagnostic labels as better explanations than non-entrenched labels even if they are circular. Using scenarios involving experts who discuss unfamiliar diagnostic categories, we show that this preference is not due to violations of conversational norms, lack of reflectiveness or attentiveness, and the characters’ familiarity or unfamiliarity with the label. In Experiment 1, whether a label provided novel symptom information or not had no impact on lay responses, while its entrenchment enhanced ratings of explanation quality. The effect persisted in Experiment 2 for causally incoherent categories and regardless of direct provision of mechanistic information. The effect of entrenchment was partly related to induced causal beliefs about the category, even when participants were informed there is no causal relation. Most participants in both experiments did not report any effect of entrenchment and the effect was present for those who did not. In Experiment 3, mental health professionals showed the effect using diagnoses that were mere shorthands for symptoms, despite a tendency to rate all explanations as unsatisfactory. The data suggest that bringing experts’ attention to the manipulation eliminates the effect. We discuss practical implications for mental health disciplines and potential ways to mitigate the impact of entrenchment.

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Effect of recovery‐based interventions on recovery knowledge and attitudes of mental health professionals, regarding recovery‐oriented practice: A quantitative narrative review

International Journal of Mental Health Nursing ◽

10.1111/inm.12897 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Anju Sreeram ◽

Wendy Cross ◽

Louise Townsin

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Mental Health Professionals ◽

Health Professionals ◽

Narrative Review ◽

Knowledge And Attitudes

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Students Responding to Natural Disasters and Terrorism

Supporting and Educating Traumatized Students ◽

10.1093/med:psych/9780199766529.003.0016 ◽

2012 ◽

pp. 229-250

Author(s):

Ryan P. Kilmer ◽

Virginia Gil-Rivas ◽

Steven J. Hardy

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Mental Health Professionals ◽

Health Professionals ◽

School Mental Health ◽

School Setting ◽

School Personnel ◽

Emotional Needs ◽

Cultural Considerations ◽

School Based ◽

The Impact

This chapter seeks to help teachers and school mental health professionals understand the needs of students who have faced a disaster or terrorism and identify strategies for school-based responses. The chapter provides an overview of the effects of these events on school children and youths, including relevant developmental and cultural considerations, and the impact on the school setting. Then, the discussion emphasizes recommendations for, and possible responses by, teachers, school-based mental health professionals, and administrators. Indeed, just as these traumas can affect multiple levels of school children’s lives, the needed response of school-based professionals can be framed as multi-level, ranging from curricular modification to interventions specifically targeting youngsters’ socio-emotional needs. The sections that follow seek to inform and guide responses for school personnel and provide clear, “actionable” recommendations.

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Mental health professionals’ perceptions on patients control of data sharing

Health Informatics Journal ◽

10.1177/1460458219893845 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 26 (3) ◽

pp. 2011-2029 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

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.

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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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Black Mental Health and the New Millennium: Historical and Current Perspective on Cultural Trauma and ‘Everyday’ Racism in White Mental Health Spaces — The Impact on the Psychological Well-being of Black Mental Health Professionals

The International Handbook of Black Community Mental Health ◽

10.1108/978-1-83909-964-920201002 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 1-26

Author(s):

Richard Majors

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Mental Health Professionals ◽

Health Professionals ◽

Well Being ◽

Cultural Trauma ◽

Psychological Well Being ◽

Current Perspective ◽

The Impact ◽

Black Mental Health ◽

New Millennium

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On-scene Mental Health Counseling Provided Through Police Departments

Journal of Mental Health Counseling ◽

10.17744/mehc.30.4.m125r35864213208 ◽

2008 ◽

Vol 30 (4) ◽

pp. 345-361 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Andrew Young ◽

Jill Fuller ◽

Briana Riley

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Mental Health Professionals ◽

Police Officers ◽

Health Professionals ◽

Mental Health Counseling ◽

Police Departments ◽

Crisis Counseling ◽

Health Counseling ◽

Survey Results ◽

The Impact

The expectation that police officers can address every need in every situation is daunting and unrealistic. Recognizing this, some police departments have instituted special training or used other resources to better serve the needs of citizens. One example is an on-scene crisis counseling unit comprised of volunteer mental health professionals who respond to calls with police officers. These counselors provide mental health services that police officers cannot. This article explains the usefulness of this type of program, and crisis counseling in general, for both officers and victims as they deal with crises like domestic violence, homicide, suicide, and sexual assault. The study examines survey results from victims and police officers about the impact of this intervention. The data support the helpfulness of the program. Implications and recommendations for further research are included.

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