Mental Illness in the Family: The Experiences of Well Siblings of Young Adults with Mood and/or Anxiety Disorders

Current research on well siblings of individuals with mental illness focuses predominantly on adult siblings of individuals with schizophrenia, eating disorders, and psychosis. Few studies examine the experiences of young adult siblings of individuals with mood and/or anxiety disorders. We conducted focus groups with 21 post-secondary students, gathering their experiences of living with a sibling with mood and/or anxiety disorders. Our findings highlight the important role well siblings play in their sibling’s care, and the significant health and social impacts of living with a mentally ill sibling, particularly during adolescence. The needs of young adult well siblings of individuals with mood and/or anxiety disorders must be considered in the provision of family-centred care.

An Action Plan to Modernize Gender, Sex, and Sexual Orientation Information Practices in Canadian Electronic Health Record Systems

This brief report contains a summary version of the proposed action plan to modernize gender, sex, and sexual orientation (GSSO) information practices in Canadian electronic health record (EHR) systems. The plan was co-created by a research team with guidance from the Infoway Sex and Gender Working Group, organizations and communities involved with sexual and gender minorities (SGM), and those with lived and living experiences as SGM. The plan describes seven high level actions needed to improve the principles, approaches, policies, and processes of defining, collecting, organizing, sharing, and using GSSO information in EHRs.

Évaluation des retombées d’un programme destiné à des familles vivant dans des conditions difficiles : réflexion sur leur pouvoir d’agir

Cet article présente les résultats d’une recherche dont l’objectif était de faire l’évaluation des retombées du Programme de Renforcement des Familles (PRF), implanté en 2011 dans deux quartiers défavorisés de la ville de Trois-Rivières. Cette recherche s’intéressait à savoir si l’expérience du PRF a permis aux familles y ayant participé de créer des liens entre elles et, plus globalement avec leur communauté. Les résultats découlant d’entretiens réalisés auprès de 20 parents et de 12 membres de la communauté donnent à réfléchir sur le pouvoir d’agir de ces familles de même que sur celui des intervenants qui les accompagnent.

Accounting for Complexity and Context in Implementation through Coaching, Convening, and Co-Design: A New Intermediary’s Approach

The Centre of Excellence on PTSD (the Centre) is a new Canadian intermediary established in part to support the uptake of evidence-based practices among service providers treating veterans. Given the unique and complex landscape for veteran mental health service delivery, the Centre is developing networks and prioritizing co-design to address anticipated implementation challenges.

The Covid-19 Pandemic and Shifts in Mental Health Services for Children, Youth, and Families

The context of the Covid-19 pandemic has affected service programming and delivery around the world. In Canada, it changed how mental health and other services continued to support their clients. This article describes how four services adapted by summarizing innovative practices that took place. Implications and future directions are provided.

An Accessible Mental Health Self-Management Innovation for College Students

This article outlines findings from two Wellness Recovery Action Plan® workshops for college students in Western Canada. Widely recognized mental health challenges among college students and a service need demonstrated in pilot sessions served as rationale for providing one of the first iterations of WRAP in a college setting.

“Maybe No One Is Really Crazy, but Everyone Is Just a Little Bit Mad”: Framing Experiences of Living with Madness in the TED Talk

This article explores the victimizing experiences of individuals with mental illness using grounded inductive qualitative research methods, by extracting themes from 15 first-hand accounts of living with mental illness delivered on the TED Talks media platform. Emergent themes included (1) victimizing effects of the illness including the effects of medication and the effects of stigma, (2) normalcy, (3) the importance of help-seeking in the process of overcoming obstacles presented by mental health issues, and (4) victimization by others. We conclude that the speakers in our sample, even though they reflect an extraordinary level of functioning, still view themselves as what Becker (1991 [1963]) describes as outsiders, acting as moral entrepreneurs, crusading to normalize madness through a variety of strategies.

Clubhouse Model and Its Impact on Psychiatric Hospitalization in Canada: A Cohort Study

We investigated the relationship between membership in an accredited Clubhouse for mental health support and psychiatric hospitalization in Canada using linked administrative data. Results show that Clubhouse members were less likely to be hospitalized after enrollment and after longer-term enrollment, and younger members diagnosed with schizophrenia and/or bipolar disorders were at increased risk of hospitalization compared to older members without such diagnoses. These findings provide evidence of the possible benefits of Clubhouses in Canada and the characteristics of members who may benefit from support.

Personal Goals as Moderators of a Cognitive-Behavioural Intervention for Depressive Symptoms in College Students

The objective of this pilot study was to assess the effects of the indicated level of a multilevel preventive program on depressive symptoms and to examine personal goals appraisal as a moderating factor among college students aged between 16 and 29 years old with depressive symptoms. Students were screened for anxious and depressive symptoms in the beginning of their semester. Those who scored higher than the cut-off score were invited to be part of the intervention group. A comparison group was formed with students who did not wish to participate with the intervention group. Thirty-six students were included in the analyses. Both groups completed pre-test, post-test, and follow-up questionnaires. Results indicated a reduction in depressive symptoms at post-test and these gains were maintained three months later. Students in the intervention group with a more positive appraisal of their academic and career goals showed fewer depressive symptoms than students in the intervention group with a less positive appraisal of these goals. Limitations and implications for further implementation are discussed.

Croiser les perspectives pour mieux informer en autisme : Entre ce que les professionnels veulent dire, ce que les parents veulent savoir et comment les adultes autistes veulent que l’on parle d’eux

Ce projet est issu d’une préoccupation quant au besoin de développer des outils de communication faciles à comprendre et qui répondent au plus grand nombre de parents d’enfant(s) autiste(s) ayant récemment reçu leur diagnostic. Dans une approche systémique de la littératie en santé (Sørenson et al., 2012), nous avons développé une grille pratique de manière à soutenir la rédaction de documents et leur amélioration afin de les rendre plus compréhensibles pour le grand public. La démarche réalisée s’est caractérisée par le croisement des perspectives de différents publics concernés : professionnels, parents, adultes autistes. Ce projet novateur est l’un des premiers à avoir exploré les enjeux de littératie dans le contexte de l’autisme.