Search results for ‘Subject term:"mental health problems"’ Sort:
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The Men’s Group
- Author:
- PEET Steven
- Journal article citation:
- Groupwork, 21(2), 2011, pp.50-60.
- Publisher:
- Whiting and Birch
This paper describes and reflects upon the work done by the author’s in his first social work fieldwork placement of establishing and running a therapeutic group. The ‘Men’s Group’ was based in a day-centre for clients with mainly mental health issues in a rural area of West Cork. The activities undertaken by the group aimed to bring the men together in a sense of joint endeavour and acceptance. The paper examines the first 6 weeks of the group, particularly looking at what worked and what didn’t. The paper aims to: position the theoretical perspective being used by the group; discuss roles and behaviours within the group; consider the role of the author in the group; and to reflect upon the author's learning experience.
Obesity and its complications: a survey of inpatients at a secure psychiatric hospital
- Authors:
- HAW Camilla, ROWELL Arleen
- Journal article citation:
- British Journal of Forensic Practice, 13(4), 2011, pp.270-277.
- Publisher:
- Emerald
Obesity is a major challenge in secure psychiatric settings, and requires active management to try and prevent complications. This study investigated the proportion of inpatients that were overweight and obese at a secure psychiatric hospital – St Andrew’s Healthcare, Northampton, England. It aimed to identify variables associated with obesity and the proportion of patients being treated for diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and hyperlipidaemia. A cross-sectional survey of 234 adult male and female forensic and rehabilitation patients was carried out. Findings revealed that 33% were overweight and 47% were obese. More patients had gained weight in the last three months than had lost it, and being overweight or obese was associated with the prescription of antipsychotic medication and valproate. The authors concluded that patients continuing education about healthy eating and encouragement to take exercise. Implications for practice are discussed.
Premarital mental disorders and physical violence in marriage: cross-national study of married couples
- Authors:
- MILLER E., et al
- Journal article citation:
- British Journal of Psychiatry, 199(4), October 2011, pp.330-337.
- Publisher:
- Cambridge University Press
Previous research indicates that mental disorders increase the risk of physical violence among married couples. The authors estimate associations between premarital mental disorders and marital violence in a cross-national sample of married couples. A total of 1821 married couples from 11 countries were interviewed as part of the WHO’s World Mental Health Survey Initiative. Sixteen mental disorders with onset prior to marriage were examined as predictors of marital violence reported by either spouse. Any physical violence was reported by one or both spouses in 20% of couples, and was associated with husbands' externalising disorders. Overall, the population attributable risk for marital violence related to premarital mental disorders was estimated to be 17.2%. It is concluded that husbands' externalising disorders had a modest but consistent association with marital violence across a range of diverse countries.
Psychosocial support programme for young men at risk: who participates, who drops out?
- Authors:
- APPELQVIST-SCHMIDLECHNER Kaija, et al
- Journal article citation:
- International Journal of Mental Health Promotion, 13(2), May 2011, pp.40-49.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
Previous research has shown that young men with a wide range of psychological problems are often beyond the reach of health and social services. The purpose of this study was to examine the characteristics of men who do or do not adhere to a psychosocial support programme. The study also aimed to investigate whether the number of problems is associated with reaching out and adhering to the programme. The study was part of the Time Out! Getting Life Back on Track project which targets young men under the age of 29 years who have been exempted from compulsory military or civil service. The participants in this project were men from the cities of Helsinki and Vantaa who were exempted from service during the period July 2004 to June 2005. A total of 182 men who volunteered to participate in the study were assigned to the intervention group. This support programme was provided by personal counsellors who offered a solution-focused tailored approach. Data was collected through questionnaires completed by the counsellors which recorded every contact with the client as well as every attempt at contact. In addition, register data was collected from several official registers. The study showed that most of the young men could be reached by the counsellors. However, the men with the most problems could not be reached at all by the programme.
Psychosocial consequences of intimate partner violence for women and men in Canada
- Authors:
- ANSARA Donna L., HINDIN Michelle J.
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 26(8), May 2011, pp.1628-1645.
- Publisher:
- Sage
Recent studies have suggested that intimate partner violence (IPV) may have different consequences associated with different patterns of violence, abuse, and control. This study examined the psychosocial consequences associated with different patterns of physical violence, sexual coercion, psychological abuse, and controlling behaviour using data from 676 women and 455 men interviewed for the 2004 Canadian General Social Survey on Victimization. Findings revealed that experiencing any pattern of violence was associated with a range of negative psychosocial outcomes for both women and men. The increasingly negative impact and perceived dangerousness of IPV for those experiencing more severe and chronic patterns of violence and control were also shown. These findings were more pronounced for women as they experienced the most chronic pattern of abuse and control. The psychosocial consequences were also greater for women than for men with similar experiences of IPV. In conclusion, gender, the nature of the violence, abuse, and control experienced all influenced the psychosocial impact of IPV.
Correlates of psychological distress and major depressive disorder among African American men
- Authors:
- LINCOLN Karen D., et al
- Journal article citation:
- Research on Social Work Practice, 21(3), May 2011, pp.278-288.
- Publisher:
- Sage
African American men encounter numerous life situations that constitute risk factors for poor mental health. This study aimed to examine the demographic correlates of depressive symptoms, serious psychological distress (SPD), and both 12-month and lifetime major depressive disorder (MDD) among African American men. The demographic factors that were examined include: age; poverty status; years of education; employment status; marital status; and region. The analyses are based on the responses from 1,271 African American men from the National Survey of American Life (NSAL), a comprehensive study of mental health among Americans of African descent conducted from 2001 to 2003. The results provide first-time substantiation of important demographic differences in depressive symptoms, SPD, and 12-month and lifetime MDD among African American men. The findings illuminate the heterogeneity within the African American male population, and demonstrate the need for additional research focusing on within-group differences. A number of implications for practice are discussed.
Social determinants of health and health outcomes in men and fathers with mental health issues
- Authors:
- MONTGOMERY Phyllis, BROWN Stephanie A., FORCHUK Cheryl
- Journal article citation:
- Social Work in Mental Health, 9(1-6), 2011, pp.73-91.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
- Place of publication:
- Philadelphia, USA
This article explores the health status of homeless men, particularly fathers, with mental health problems. Specifically, the study aimed to examine whether differences exist in social determinants of health and health outcomes between 3 groups of precariously housed men: fathers with young children; fathers with adult children; and non-fathers. The study involved a secondary analysis of data extracted from a larger project focusing on mental health and housing. The sample included 277 Canadian males with a history of psychiatric illness: 63 had children under the age of 18 years; 34 had children aged 18 years and over; and 178 were non-fathers. Yearly structured interview surveys collected data including psychiatric health status, housing status, social network, and health outcomes. Analysis showed that, although half of the fathers of younger children expressed a preference to parent, only 2 were parenting on a day-to-day basis. Compared with non-fathers, fathers were characteristically older, separated, unemployed, and homeless. Fathers reported poorer satisfaction with family relationships and greater struggles with substance misuse. Fathers of younger children had a higher rate of overall problem severity than fathers of adult children. The article concludes that fathers may require specialised supports to minimise the barriers to fulfil their desired role to parent.
Kick-starting men's mental health: an evaluation of the effect of playing football on mental health service users' well-being
- Authors:
- DARONGKAMAS Jurai, SCOTT Helen, TAYLOR Emily
- Journal article citation:
- International Journal of Mental Health Promotion, 13(3), August 2011, pp.14-21.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
Young men can find it particularly difficult to engage in therapeutic activities. Previous research has shown that playing in a football team can have many positive benefits for mental health, including reducing social isolation and improving confidence. The authors report the findings of an evaluation of such a football team. Ten team members (mean age 33 years) with a variety of mental health issues were interviewed. Information, both quantitative and qualitative, was obtained concerning their experiences. The players reported benefits such as improvements to their mental health, ability to deal better with their mental health problems, improved confidence and gains to their social life. Overall playing football had a number of positive effects on the lives of the participants; few negative effects were noted. Benefits were both short and longer term. The authors conclude that their results are in keeping with previous evidence suggesting that football is a useful supplement to traditional interventions.
Prevalence, comorbidity, and course of depression among Black fathers in the United States
- Authors:
- SINKEWICZ Marilyn, LEE Rufina
- Journal article citation:
- Research on Social Work Practice, 21(3), May 2011, pp.289-297.
- Publisher:
- Sage
Black men in the United States are disproportionately exposed to adverse social and economic factors that may be linked to psychological distress, of which depression is one of the most common manifestations. This article aims to present estimates of the prevalence, comorbidity, and course of depression among a national sample of urban Black fathers. The analysis uses data from the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study (FFCWS), a longitudinal study which followed a birth cohort of children born to unmarried and married parents. This study used the subset of the FFCWS for Black fathers. Prevalence of depression was estimated at the 1, 3 and 5-year interviews. Comorbidity with anxiety, substance dependence and bad health was estimated at the 3-year interview only. The results show that the prevalence of 12-month major depressive episode (12%) is 1.5x higher among Black fathers than among men in the general population. Anxiety, substance dependence, and bad health are disproportionately concentrated in Black fathers with depression. The proportion of depression-free Black fathers and the proportion of Black fathers who recover from depression both decreased over the 4-year period.
Prospective cohort study of mental health during imprisonment
- Authors:
- HASSAN Lamiece, et al
- Journal article citation:
- British Journal of Psychiatry, 198(1), January 2011, pp.37-42.
- Publisher:
- Cambridge University Press
There is concern that time spent in prison may have a detrimental impact on mental health, particularly among individuals with pre-existing mental illness. However there is little evidence regarding changes in symptoms in custody over time. This study investigated the prevalence and predictors of psychiatric symptoms among prisoners during early custody in English prisons. A prospective cohort of 3079, mostly male, prisoners was screened for mental illness within 3 days of reception. Of these, 980 prisoners were interviewed to establish baseline diagnoses and symptoms; all remaining in custody were followed up 1 month (58%) and 2 months later (19%). Symptom prevalence was highest during the first week of custody. It showed a linear decline among men and convicted prisoners, but not women or remand prisoners. Prevalence decreased among prisoners with depression, but not among prisoners with other mental illnesses. Overall, imprisonment did not exacerbate psychiatric symptoms, although differences in group responses were observed. The authors suggest there is a need for continued discussion regarding non-custodial alternatives for vulnerable groups and increased support for all during early custody.