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“‘It is a safe space’: self-harm self-help groups”
- Authors:
- BOYCE Melanie, MUNN-GIDDINGS Carol, SECKER Jenny
- Journal article citation:
- Mental Health Review Journal, 23(1), 2018, pp.54-63.
- Publisher:
- Emerald
Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to present a qualitative analysis of the role of self-harm self-help groups from the perspective of group members. Design/methodology/approach: A qualitative case study approach guided the research, which involved working with two self-harm self-help groups and all regularly attending members. Findings: A thematic approach to the analysis of the findings indicates that self-harm self-help groups can provide a safe, non-judgemental space where those who self-harm can meet, listen and talk to others who share similar experiences for reciprocal peer support. Offering a different approach to that experienced in statutory services, the groups reduced members’ isolation and offered opportunities for learning and findings ways to lessen and better manage their self-harm. Research limitations/implications: This was a small-scale qualitative study, hence it is not possible to generalise the findings to all self-harm self-help groups. Practical implications: The value of peers supporting one another, as a means of aiding recovery and improving well-being, has gained credence in recent years, but remains limited for those who self-harm. The findings from this research highlight the value of self-help groups in providing opportunities for peer support and the facilitative role practitioners can play in the development of self-harm self-help groups. Originality/value: Self-harm self-help groups remain an underexplored area, despite such groups being identified as a valuable source of support by its members. This research provides empirical evidence, at an individual and group level, into the unique role of self-harm self-help groups. (Publisher abstract)
Mental health, social exclusion and social inclusion
- Author:
- SECKER Jenny
- Journal article citation:
- Mental Health Review Journal, 14(4), December 2009, pp.4-11.
- Publisher:
- Emerald
Based on a comparison of ways of defining social exclusion within the mental health literature, this article outlines the social systems approach to understanding social exclusion (where social exclusion is seen as a concept encompassing processes that involve the failure of one or more of 4 systems on which the sense of belonging in society depends: the democratic and legal system, the labour market, the welfare state system, and the family and community system), and uses it to examine the position of people with mental health needs in the UK. It looks at the relationship between exclusion and inclusion and provides a critique of the inclusion imperative in mental health. From the evidence reviewed, the author concludes that there is a need for policy initiatives to focus on tackling the structural barriers that work to exclude people with mental health needs as well as on challenging deep-rooted prejudice and stigmatisation that reinforce those barriers, and a need to be mindful of the context in which inclusion policies are implemented, the assumptions implicit within these policies, and the possible consequences of their adoption.
Supporting mental health service users back to work
- Author:
- SECKER Jenny
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Public Mental Health, 8(3), September 2009, pp.38-45.
- Publisher:
- Emerald
Evidence accumulated over many years illustrates the benefits of work for mental health, including that of mental health service users. Despite strong evidence of the effectiveness of the individual placement and support (IPS) approach in enabling this group to find and keep paid employment, employment rates among mental health service users remain low, and IPS is not widely implemented in the UK. This paper reviews recent evidence for IPS, describes the key features of the approach and compares these with service users' accounts of the kind of support that they find helpful. The current situation regarding implementation of IPS is then considered, together with the barriers hindering implementation. It is clear that the barriers are multifaceted, and action will be required at a number of levels if mental health service users are to be enabled to achieve their employment goals.
Open Arts: promoting well-being and social inclusion through art
- Authors:
- SECKER Jenny, HEYDINRYCH Kirsten
- Journal article citation:
- A Life in the Day, 13(4), November 2009, pp.20-24.
- Publisher:
- Emerald
South Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust (SEPT) have piloted Open Arts in response to national research led by Jenny Secker, the Trust’s Professor of Mental Health, that showed the benefits that the arts can have in improving mental health. The aim of the project is to provide relaxing, welcoming art groups for people with mental health problems. This article describes Open Arts' achievements during the project's first year of operation and presents the first results from an ongoing evaluation being carried out by SE-SURG (the South Essex Service User Research Group).
Modernising day and employment services in South East: the role of service user researchers
- Authors:
- SOUTH ESSEX SERVICE USER RESEARCH GROUP (SE-SURG), SECKER Jenny, TEBBS Mark
- Journal article citation:
- A Life in the Day, 12(3), August 2008, pp.29-32.
- Publisher:
- Emerald
A year-long review of day and vocational services was carried out in South Essex by local authority and primary care trust commissioners to help inform future commissioning plans. The review included a focus group to consult service users, carers, project staff and referrers across the area. This was undertaken by SE-SURG, a group of current and former service users who carry out research and consultation work for mental health service commissioners and providers. This article outlines how the consultation was undertaken, discusses the results, particularly in relation to the strengths and limitations of current services, service aspirations and staff expectations.
Empowerment and arts participation for people with mental health needs
- Authors:
- SECKER Jenny, et al
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Public Mental Health, 6(4), December 2007, pp.14-23.
- Publisher:
- Emerald
This article describes an evaluation of arts participation for people with mental health needs that both measured empowerment outcomes and explored the processes by which positive outcomes were achieved, through six qualitative case studies. For the outcomes study, 62 arts and mental health project participants returned a questionnaire soon after joining the project, and six months later. Six diverse arts and mental health projects took part in case studies. Results from the outcomes study showed significant improvements in empowerment and were suggestive of a strong causal link with arts participation. Analysis of the case study interviews revealed five processes through which benefits relating to empowerment were brought about. It is argued that psychological empowerment is in itself important for people with mental health needs. In addition, the case studies indicate that some arts and mental health projects do empower participants at a social as well as individual level.
Mental health promotion theory: review and application
- Author:
- SECKER Jenny
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Public Mental Health, 4(1), March 2005, pp.10-12.
- Publisher:
- Emerald
Reviews the ways in which mental health has been defined in the mental health promotion literature and then introduces a model derived from mental health promotion theory. Concludes with an example of the model's application to promoting the well-being of mental health service users through the provision of evidence-based employment support.