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Research watch: the power of genetic and biological explanations to reduce social inclusion
- Author:
- HOLTTUM Sue
- Journal article citation:
- Mental Health and Social Inclusion, 16(3), 2012, pp.116-120.
- Publisher:
- Emerald
This review summarises two recent research papers relating to the use of biological explanations. The first paper highlights how unhelpful it can be to over-use genetic explanations for various human experiences, and the second paper discusses the unhelpfulness of exclusively biological explanations for mental health conditions. The first paper explores the many ways in which genetic explanations are over-used to understand race, ethnicity, the sexes, sexual orientation, crime, mental health and obesity. This over-use of genetic explanations leads to various negative consequences, among them social exclusion, but may be counteracted by better explanations of both the relatively weak nature of genetic influences and how people's genes and environment interact. The second paper examines evidence about whether it is really helpful to think of mental health conditions as illnesses “like any other”. The author points to the need for promoting a more holistic understanding of human experience, and against focusing too narrowly on only one kind of cause, namely biological, and mostly on one aspect of biology – genes.
Adderall abuse on college campuses: a comprehensive literature review
- Author:
- VARGA Matthew D.
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Evidence-Based Social Work, 9(3), June 2012, pp.293-313.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
- Place of publication:
- Philadelphia, USA
Over the last ten years, prescription stimulant abuse has dramatically increased. However, the amount of research regarding college students and illicit prescription stimulant use is inadequate. This has important implications for college mental health professionals and higher education administrators. In this comprehensive literature review the author explored factors contributing to illicit use, self-medication, and recreational use of controlled prescription stimulants, and explored the potential consequences for those students abusing stimulants. The review also provided recommendations for educating, combating, and assisting students who illicitly use prescriptions stimulants on college campuses. Implications for practice are considered.
Supervision in public sector behavioral health: a review
- Authors:
- HOGE Michael A., et al
- Journal article citation:
- Clinical Supervisor (The), 30(2), July 2011, pp.183-203.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
- Place of publication:
- Philadelphia, USA
Historically, supervision was a common practice in agencies delivering publically funded services to persons with serious mental and substance use conditions. However, there are numerous published references suggesting that the provision of supervision has been declining significantly over the last 2 decades. This article provides an analysis of supervision as it relates to individuals providing care within publicly funded mental health and addiction services. Based on a comprehensive review of the literature on supervision in the public sector, it summarises the current status, definition, functions, competencies, applicable standards and requirements, training approaches, and outcomes of supervision. It shows that the provision of supervision has eroded significantly due to economic constraints and the ‘flattening’ of service organisations. The literature suggests that supervision has a positive impact on supervisees’ stress levels, job satisfaction and competence, as well as on training, quality of care, and client outcomes. Recommended strategies for restoring and advancing supervision as an essential practice in systems of care are discussed.
Dealing with individuals who have mental illness: the Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) in law enforcement
- Authors:
- BROWNING Samuel L., et al
- Journal article citation:
- British Journal of Forensic Practice, 13(4), 2011, pp.235-243.
- Publisher:
- Emerald
This review explores research regarding the Crisis Intervention Team’s (CIT) effectiveness in reducing criminalisation of people with mental illness, as well as improving interactions between this population and law enforcement officers. The authors provide a summary of the CIT model in the context of law enforcement's response to people with mental illness. Prior research on the CIT model has generally shown improved officer and community safety, better mental healthcare for those in need, and decreased criminalisation of those with mental illness. The authors conclude that the success of CIT has wider social implications, such as decreasing stigma regarding mental illness and fear of involving police in mental health related crises.
The impact of exercise on the mental health and quality of life of people with severe mental illness: a critical review
- Authors:
- ALEXANDRATOS Kristy, BARNETT Fiona, THOMAS Yvonne
- Journal article citation:
- British Journal of Occupational Therapy, 75(2), February 2012, pp.48-60.
- Publisher:
- Sage
While physical exercise is beneficial in terms of mental health and wellbeing, there has been little research investigating its impact on mental health and quality of life for people who experience a severe mental illness. This review explores the effect of physical exercise on the mental health and quality of life of people with severe mental illness. Data was drawn from 16 articles published between 1998 and 2009. The findings revealed that exercise contributed to improvements in symptoms, including mood, alertness, concentration, sleep patterns and psychotic symptoms. Exercise also improved quality of life through social interaction, meaningful use of time, purposeful activity and empowerment. The authors concluded that future studies should focus on psychological outcome measures to provide greater evidence for its use in therapy.
The mental health of young people aging out of care and entering adulthood: Exploring the evidence from England and France
- Authors:
- STEIN Mike, DUMARET Annick-Camille
- Journal article citation:
- Children and Youth Services Review, 33(12), December 2011, pp.2504-2511.
- Publisher:
- Elsevier
This article reviews the evidence from England and France on the mental health of young people ageing out of care and into adulthood. It is the first comparative review of the two countries and concentrates on the evidence on the mental health of young people in the general population, young people living in care, young people aging out of care, and young adults. The article shows the high levels of psychological adversity of young people entering car, and the high rates of mental health problems of young people in care compared with the general population of young people. It highlights the increased risk of mental and physical problems at the time of ageing out of care, and the general improvement in longer-term outcomes for young adults, although some continue to have serious mental health problems. In conclusion, the article argues that interventions across the life course of young people are needed in both countries.
Recovery, social inclusion and the practice of psychiatrists
- Author:
- CURRIE Alan
- Journal article citation:
- Mental Health and Social Inclusion, 15(3), 2011, pp.143-150.
- Publisher:
- Emerald
Promoting social inclusion is crucial to the work of mental health practitioners. This review explores the practices which support social inclusion and recovery. The working practices and prevailing theoretical models in psychiatry are also considered in the context of understanding how these practices and models can support social inclusion. Literature suggests that social inclusion is central to being in recovery. Social inclusion is also a platform on which to participate in life's activities and to learn to live well again. The practices which support these approaches are consistent with medical models of care, with the bio-psychosocial model that prevails in psychiatric practice and with existing guidelines on the nature and purpose of the therapeutic relationship. However, there are obstacles that impede adopting new practices, including creating additional work, increased risk in a risk-averse environment, and incompatibility with current models of medical practice. This paper describes the cost of exclusion, the value of inclusion, the practices which support recovery and social inclusion, and refutes the arguments for not adopting this approach to practice.
Long-term psychodynamic psychotherapy in complex mental disorders: update of a meta-analysis
- Authors:
- LEICHSENRING Falk, RABUNG Sven
- Journal article citation:
- British Journal of Psychiatry, 199(1), July 2011, pp.15-22.
- Publisher:
- Cambridge University Press
Psychodynamic psychotherapy is an umbrella concept encompassing treatments that include supportive-interpretive psychotherapeutic interventions. This meta-analysis focused on its use in complex mental disorders (defined as personality disorders, chronic mental disorders or multiple mental disorders). A literature search was used to identify relevant studies, and 10 controlled trial studies were identified as meeting the inclusion criteria, including psychodynamic psychotherapy lasting for at least one year or 50 sessions. The article discusses the analysis of the studies, including comparison of the effects of long-term psychodynamic psychotherapy with other forms of psychotherapy. The authors conclude that the analysis showed that long-term psychodynamic psychotherapy was superior to less intensive methods of psychotherapy in complex mental disorders, and that there were positive correlations between outcome and duration of therapy. They note that further research on long-term psychotherapy is needed.
Targeting suicide - qualitative analysis of suicide prevention strategy documents in England and Finland
- Authors:
- SOLIN Pia, NIKANDER Pirjo
- Journal article citation:
- Mental Health Review Journal, 16(1), March 2011, pp.5-14.
- Publisher:
- Emerald
In a policy context, suicide is not easily defined, understood or prevented. It leaves a long-lasting mental and social burden on those left behind, as well as direct consequences on the health sector and society as a whole. The means policy itself is often difficult to turn into action. This review details the interpretative repertoires found in the suicide prevention strategies of both England and Finland, and examines their potential functions and audiences. In both nations, the political repertoire was formed from four themes: the public health epidemiology; the everyday; the preventive action; and the reflective repertoires. The paper outlines the polyphonic and multi-layered nature of these policy documents and how different repertoires may be used for various functions. The paper concludes that, while the polyphonic nature of policy documents is necessary to reach a wider readership and to capture suicide as a controversial phenomenon, its argumentative style may also undermine some of the measures and actions recommended by policy itself.
Psychological well-being in visually impaired and unimpaired individuals: a meta-analysis
- Authors:
- PINQUART Martin, PIEFFER Jens P.
- Journal article citation:
- British Journal of Visual Impairment, 29(1), January 2011, pp.27-45.
- Publisher:
- Sage
It is generally believed that limited vision is negatively associated with psychological well-being (PWB). This meta-analysis integrates the results of 198 studies that compared the PWB of visually impaired individuals with unimpaired control groups or population norms. The authors define PWB in terms of individual internal states, such as being free of mental illness, having high levels of positive emotions, self acceptance, and being satisfied with life. The mean age of the visually impaired respondents was 71.37 years; normally sighted controls were just a little younger. About 62% of the respondents were women. Overall, visually impaired people showed a strong decline of vision-specific psychological well-being. However, declines in vision-unspecific measures were small compared to normally sighted peers. Sampling methods influenced study results. Declines of PWB were greater in studies with convenience samples (compared to probability samples) and in studies that used population norms rather than a control group. PWB was lower in; individuals with greater vision loss and in those with age-related macular degeneration or diabetic retinopathy, as compared to glaucoma; in adults as compared to children; and, to some extent, in older studies. The authors discuss their findings in terms of developing and implementing interventions aimed at protecting the PWB of visually impaired individuals.