Mental Health, Suicidal Behaviour, and Primary Healthcare among Homeless Youth

2020 ◽  
Vol 39 (4) ◽  
pp. 25-38
Author(s):  
Réal Labelle ◽  
Claude Berthiaume ◽  
Marc Daigle ◽  
Jean-Jacques Breton ◽  
Janie Houle
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Young People ◽  
Mental Health Professionals ◽  
Primary Healthcare ◽  
Suicidal Behaviour ◽  
Homeless Youth ◽  
Structured Interview ◽  
Stressful Events ◽  
Support Network ◽  
Youth Homelessness

Youth homelessness is a complex psychosocial problem. It refers to the experience of young people who live without their parents or legal guardians and who do not have the means or the capacity to reside in a stable, secure, and permanent place. This exploratory study sought to examine the mental health and suicidal behaviour of 76 homeless Québec adolescents as part of a reflection on the mission of primary healthcare. Note that these adolescents are mostly in the first segment of the homelessness continuum and have voluntarily left their homes because of personal and family difficulties. These 43 girls and 33 boys aged 12 to 19 living temporarily in shelters completed a semi-structured interview and self-administered questionnaires regarding stressful events, psychosocial stress, and mental health. Of these, 38 reported suicidal behaviour, including attempted suicide in 19 cases. The results show that these young people exemplify a high degree of suffering and multiple problems. Evidence indicates that lost relationships and academic problems rooted in attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder are linked to suicidal behaviour. Finally, non-productive coping strategies centred on somatization and little reassurance of worth provided by the social support network are associated with suicidal behaviour. Caregivers in temporary shelters should look out for these factors and refer vulnerable youth to primarycare mental health professionals.

Analysis of Selected Recommendations of Parents for Improvement of Shared Care and Joint Custody After Parents/Partners´ Divorce/Separation

2018 ◽  
Vol 52 (1) ◽  
pp. 60-69
Author(s):  
Dagmar Kopčanová ◽  
Bibiana Filípková
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Health Professionals ◽  
Research Work ◽  
Structured Interview ◽  
Shared Care ◽  
Team Work ◽  
Joint Custody ◽  
Shared Parenting ◽  
Methodological Problems ◽  
Legislative Changes

Abstract The content of this scientific study is based on the qualitative analysis of selected answers of parents, in the framework of semi-structured interview. The qualitative research is apart of bigger research work P-155/A, dealing with mental health of children in family and school settings. The main goal is to learn and analyse the empirical experience and views of participants, related to joint custody and shared care. The research sample consisted of randomly selected 9 participants who visited Výskumný ústav detskej psychológie apatopsychológie on behalf of some problems regarding custody after divorce/separation. In this contribution the parents´ attitudes towards mutual communication of former partners/parents, functioning of joint custody and shared care and some views related to some limits in this form of shared parenting have been analysed. Some valuable remarks with regard to the need of multi-professional team work, addressed to parents within the process of their divorce/separation proved to be very useful. Parents proposed they would extremely welcome some more help from mental health professionals and their crises intervention actions. On behalf of discussion we notice that the juridical institute of joint custody and shared care is a very important tool, however, some legislative changes of this law should be still done. Concluding the study, we state that in spite of some methodological problems – like a limited number of research participants, we believe that the results can serve as a basis for the next deeper research, bringing more proposals for improvement in this field.

scholarly journals Understanding factors relevant to poor sleep and coping methods in people with schizophrenia

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Yen-Ching Chang ◽  
Megan C. Chang ◽  
Yun-Jou Chang ◽  
Ming-De Chen
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Sleep Quality ◽  
Mental Health Professionals ◽  
Sleep Problems ◽  
Psychiatric Symptoms ◽  
Structured Interview ◽  
Community Dwelling ◽  
Poor Sleep ◽  
Coping Methods

Abstract Background Sleep disruption is pervasive in people with schizophrenia, but few studies have explored their sleep experiences. This study aims to identify factors relevant to sleep problems and explore coping methods used by community-dwelling people with schizophrenia. Methods Eighteen participants with schizophrenia were recruited from three mental health centers in Taiwan. They completed a semi-structured interview and the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) assessment. The Person-Environment-Occupation model offered a framework to assess factors related to sleep. Thematic analysis was used for the qualitative data analysis. Results Factors related to sleep were classified under person, environment, and occupation domains. The person domain included three subthemes: psychiatric symptoms, unpleasant emotions, and frustration about sleep. The environment domain included three subthemes: sensory intrusions from the environment, quality of bedding, and roommates. The occupation domain included sleep interruption and sleep preparation. There were notable discrepancies in sleep quality between the participants’ narratives and their PSQI global scores. Regarding coping methods for poor sleep, sleep medication was the primary strategy while some participants also used other strategies, such as modifying the environment, adjusting routines, or engaging in activities that improve sleep quality. Conclusions Psychiatric symptoms and nightmares were identified as unique sleep disruptions in people with schizophrenia, and poor economic status was also found to impact their sleep. The sleep quality of people with schizophrenia tends to be poor, as identified by the PSQI, even though they may have positive perceptions of their sleep quality. Our participants appeared to prefer to take hypnotics to address their sleep problems, which may be due to limited knowledge about alternatives. Mental health professionals are encouraged to receive training in the application of non-pharmacological approaches to support their clients’ issues related to sleep.

scholarly journals Use of androgenic anabolic steroids by patients under treatment for substance use disorder: case series

2017 ◽  
Vol 66 (2) ◽  
pp. 120-123 ◽  
Author(s):  
Julio Mario Xerfan do Amaral ◽  
Marcelo Santos Cruz
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Substance Use ◽  
Case Studies ◽  
Substance Use Disorder ◽  
Mental Health Professionals ◽  
Health Professionals ◽  
Anabolic Steroids ◽  
Case Series ◽  
Structured Interview ◽  
Androgenic Anabolic Steroids

ABSTRACT The present study reports several case studies about the use of androgenic-anabolic steroids (AAS) by patients under treatment for substance use disorder (SUD). Ten subjects were interviewed, two women and eight men, ranging from 25 to 43 years old. Regarding treatment regime, eight subjects were inpatients and two, outpatients. ASSIST-WHO and MINI-SUD scales and a semi-structured interview were used as research instruments. Seven subjects reported the use of AAS within fewer than twelve months from the interview date. Mental health professionals did not previously question none of the subjects were about the use of AAS. We discuss the efficacy of the chosen instruments to assess AAS use.

Ratings of an Interview Outline for Evaluation of Disruptive Adolescents

1993 ◽  
Vol 72 (1) ◽  
pp. 146-146
Author(s):  
Garry McGiboney ◽  
Clifford Carter
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Graduate Students ◽  
Mental Health Professionals ◽  
Health Professionals ◽  
Structured Interview

Assessment by 13 mental health professionals and 25 graduate students in psychology suggested that a brief, carefully developed structured interview outline for intrapsychic information is judged useful in assessment of disruptive adolescents.

Psychotic experiences in a mental health clinic sample: implications for suicidality, multimorbidity and functioning

2013 ◽  
Vol 44 (8) ◽  
pp. 1615-1624 ◽  
Author(s):  
I. Kelleher ◽  
N. Devlin ◽  
J. T. W. Wigman ◽  
A. Kehoe ◽  
A. Murtagh ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Health Services ◽  
Young People ◽  
Health Services ◽  
Suicidal Behaviour ◽  
Health Clinic ◽  
Psychotic Experiences ◽  
Global Functioning ◽  
Community Based Research ◽  
Wide Range

BackgroundRecent community-based research has suggested that psychotic experiences act as markers of severity of psychopathology. There has, however, been a lack of clinic-based research. We wished to investigate, in a clinical sample of adolescents referred to a state-funded mental health service, the prevalence of (attenuated or frank) psychotic experiences and the relationship with (i) affective, anxiety and behavioural disorders, (ii) multimorbid psychopathology, (iii) global functioning, and (iv) suicidal behaviour.MethodThe investigation was a clinical case–clinical control study using semi-structured research diagnostic psychiatric assessments in 108 patients newly referred to state adolescent mental health services.ResultsPsychotic experiences were prevalent in a wide range of (non-psychotic) disorders but were strong markers of risk in particular for multimorbid psychopathology (Z = 3.44, p = 0.001). Young people with psychopathology who reported psychotic experiences demonstrated significantly poorer socio-occupational functioning than young people with psychopathology who did not report psychotic experiences, which was not explained by multimorbidity. Psychotic experiences were strong markers of risk for suicidal behaviour. Stratified analyses showed that there was a greatly increased odds of suicide attempts in patients with a major depressive disorder [odds ratio (OR) 8.89, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.59–49.83], anxiety disorder (OR 15.4, 95% CI 1.85–127.94) or behavioural disorder (OR 3.13, 95% CI 1.11–8.79) who also had psychotic experiences compared with patients who did not report psychotic experiences.ConclusionsPsychotic experiences (attenuated or frank) are an important but under-recognized marker of risk for severe psychopathology, including multimorbidity, poor functioning and suicidal behaviour in young people who present to mental health services.

Role Transition from Mental Health Nurse to IAPT High Intensity Psychological Therapist

2011 ◽  
Vol 40 (3) ◽  
pp. 351-366 ◽  
Author(s):  
Simon Robinson ◽  
Stephen Kellett ◽  
Ingrid King ◽  
Val Keating
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Health Professionals ◽  
High Intensity ◽  
Structured Interview ◽  
Stepped Care ◽  
Role Transition ◽  
Clinical Approach ◽  
Mental Health Nurse ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Health Nurse

Background: The Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT) initiative has depended on the training of a new NHS mental health workforce. At step 3 of the stepped care model, capacity building has required the recruitment of a wide range of mental health professionals into high intensity therapists training posts. This shift naturally entails role transition on the part of trainees into delivering cognitive behavioural psychotherapy (CBP), but no previous research has examined the experience of such transitions. Aim: To describe the lived experience of transition from mental health nurse to IAPT high intensity therapist and to identify possible factors which moderate effective role conversions. Method: Six qualified high intensity therapists were interviewed using a semi-structured interview and the subsequent interviews transcribed. Thematic content analysis (TCA) was used to analyze personal accounts of role transition. All participants had previously been mental health nurses and attended the same IAPT high intensity therapist (HIT) training programme. Results: Six key themes were apparent from the TCA. Three interconnected themes concerning supervision (style, impact of approach and historical context) and three additional themes of the challenge of learning a new clinical approach, high need for support, and forming a new psychotherapist identity. Conclusions: Findings suggest supervision is the most important factor in supporting complex psychotherapy role transitions. Clinical supervisors may need to incorporate dedicated time on role and identity shift during CBP training to ensure effective assimilation and transition. Methodological short-comings are identified and discussed.

scholarly journals Non-disclosing youth: a cross sectional study to understand why young people do not disclose suicidal thoughts to their mental health professional.

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lauren McGillivray ◽  
Demee Rheinberger ◽  
Jessica Wang ◽  
Alexander Burnett ◽  
Michelle Torok
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Suicidal Ideation ◽  
Young People ◽  
Health Professional ◽  
Therapeutic Alliance ◽  
Mental Health Professionals ◽  
Mental Health Professional ◽  
Health Practitioner ◽  
Suicidal Thoughts ◽  
Factors Associated

Abstract Background Prevalence of suicidal ideation increases rapidly in adolescence, and many choose not to seek help and disclose their ideation. Young people who do disclose suicidal ideation, prefer to do so with peers and family compared to mental health professionals, who are best placed to provide evidence-based treatment. This study aimed to identify key factors associated with young people’s decision to, or not to disclose suicidal thoughts to their mental health practitioner. Methods A community-based sample of young Australians (16–25 years), who had experienced suicidal ideation and engaged with a mental health professional, completed an online questionnaire (N = 513) which assessed demographic characteristics, severity of depression, anxiety, psychological distress, and suicidal ideation, lifetime suicide attempts, exposure to suicide loss, personal suicide stigma, prioritisation of mental health issues, and therapeutic alliance. Logistic regression analyses were used to identify factors associated with disclosure. Results Though the full sample had engaged in therapy, 39% had never disclosed suicidal ideation to their clinician. Those who had disclosed were more likely to report greater prioritisation of suicidal ideation (OR = 4.07, 95% CI = 2.34–7.09), therapeutic alliance (OR = 1.04, 95% CI = 1.02–1.06), and personal suicide stigma (OR = 1.04, 95% CI = 1.01–1.06). The most common reason for not disclosing was concern that it would not remain confidential. Conclusion These findings provide new insights into why young people may not seek help for suicidal ideation, despite being engaged with a mental health professional, and establish evidence to inform practice decisions and the development of prevention strategies to support young people for suicide.

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