Social Work Education (The International Journal), 38(6), 2019, pp.779-796.
Publisher:
Taylor and Francis
Place of publication:
Philadelphia, USA
This paper explores ways in which social work educators might respond to students who report that mental health issues underlie their difficulty in meeting core competencies, or otherwise use the language of mental health to describe their struggles to succeed in social work programs. This paper discusses various trends in policy responses in Canada, the US, the UK, and Ireland. While there are general policy trends, it is clear that responding to these kinds of issues requires the development of highly flexible and situated policy processes that can respond to student realities, concern for students’ rights and privacy, and an awareness of potential discrimination against students. These processes also need to meet the specificities of practicums, particular institutional policies, the mandates of relevant professional bodies, and the precise local legislative framework that shapes these situations. Given these varying contexts, in this conceptual paper, a framework on disability that is informed by critical theory to engage existing school policies and propose a set of reflective questions that can guide schools of social work to create an overall responsive environment is used. These reflective questions are designed to help social work educators balance the rights and needs of students with the professional and institutional demands that students meet core competencies in their education.
(Edited publisher abstract)
This paper explores ways in which social work educators might respond to students who report that mental health issues underlie their difficulty in meeting core competencies, or otherwise use the language of mental health to describe their struggles to succeed in social work programs. This paper discusses various trends in policy responses in Canada, the US, the UK, and Ireland. While there are general policy trends, it is clear that responding to these kinds of issues requires the development of highly flexible and situated policy processes that can respond to student realities, concern for students’ rights and privacy, and an awareness of potential discrimination against students. These processes also need to meet the specificities of practicums, particular institutional policies, the mandates of relevant professional bodies, and the precise local legislative framework that shapes these situations. Given these varying contexts, in this conceptual paper, a framework on disability that is informed by critical theory to engage existing school policies and propose a set of reflective questions that can guide schools of social work to create an overall responsive environment is used. These reflective questions are designed to help social work educators balance the rights and needs of students with the professional and institutional demands that students meet core competencies in their education.
(Edited publisher abstract)
Subject terms:
student social workers, social work education, mental health, teaching methods, reflective practice, mental health problems, policy;
Child: Care, Health and Development, 44(5), 2018, pp.721-729.
Publisher:
Wiley
Background: Mothers of children with a disability have a higher risk of mental health difficulties than mothers of typically developing children. Very little is known about how health professionals perceive their role in supporting mothers' mental health. This study explores the perspectives of health professionals working with families of children with a disability about how they provide support for maternal mental health in their roles. Specifically, whether professionals consider it their role and responsibility to provide support, the types of actions that they engage in to do this, and the challenges that they experience. Methods: This qualitative semi‐structured interview study included 13 health professionals (allied health professionals, general practitioners, and paediatricians) working with families of a child with a disability. Thematic analysis was conducted on transcribed interview data. Results: Four overlapping themes were identified from the data indicating that professionals knew that mothers needed mental health support but were not always clear about their roles and responsibilities to support maternal mental health. Professionals also found it difficult to address maternal mental health difficulties, were not always aware of the best strategies to support maternal mental health, and faced difficulties that could be overcome with training and system improvements. Conclusions: Although all health professionals were aware of the frequent occurrence of maternal mental health difficulties and the importance of addressing them, several challenges were identified to managing them successfully. Providing health professionals with training in discussing mental health and clearer referral pathways would contribute to mothers being better supported, in addition to policy change that allows parental support in child health services.
(Edited publisher abstract)
Background: Mothers of children with a disability have a higher risk of mental health difficulties than mothers of typically developing children. Very little is known about how health professionals perceive their role in supporting mothers' mental health. This study explores the perspectives of health professionals working with families of children with a disability about how they provide support for maternal mental health in their roles. Specifically, whether professionals consider it their role and responsibility to provide support, the types of actions that they engage in to do this, and the challenges that they experience. Methods: This qualitative semi‐structured interview study included 13 health professionals (allied health professionals, general practitioners, and paediatricians) working with families of a child with a disability. Thematic analysis was conducted on transcribed interview data. Results: Four overlapping themes were identified from the data indicating that professionals knew that mothers needed mental health support but were not always clear about their roles and responsibilities to support maternal mental health. Professionals also found it difficult to address maternal mental health difficulties, were not always aware of the best strategies to support maternal mental health, and faced difficulties that could be overcome with training and system improvements. Conclusions: Although all health professionals were aware of the frequent occurrence of maternal mental health difficulties and the importance of addressing them, several challenges were identified to managing them successfully. Providing health professionals with training in discussing mental health and clearer referral pathways would contribute to mothers being better supported, in addition to policy change that allows parental support in child health services.
(Edited publisher abstract)
Subject terms:
mothers, children, mental health, disabilities, health professionals, mental health problems;
Marital breakdown has becomes a serious issue in Ireland, with an increase of 150% over the last decade. One emerging phenomenon that faces families, social workers, judges and mental health professionals relates to cases where a child rejects and denigrates a previously loved parent following separation or divorce. Often, when the alienated child is refusing contact with the rejected parent, all efforts to communicate are to no avail. This article considers some of the contributions put forward by authors to explain this phenomenon, identifies clinical presentations of an alienated child, and identifies the impact of alienation on children.
Marital breakdown has becomes a serious issue in Ireland, with an increase of 150% over the last decade. One emerging phenomenon that faces families, social workers, judges and mental health professionals relates to cases where a child rejects and denigrates a previously loved parent following separation or divorce. Often, when the alienated child is refusing contact with the rejected parent, all efforts to communicate are to no avail. This article considers some of the contributions put forward by authors to explain this phenomenon, identifies clinical presentations of an alienated child, and identifies the impact of alienation on children.
Subject terms:
marriage breakdown, mental health, mental health problems, separated parents, children, divorce;
British Journal of Psychiatry, 171, October 1997, pp.369-372.
Publisher:
Cambridge University Press
Reports on a study to determine the prevalence of mental disorders among the community-dwelling elderly in the catchment area of a psychiatry service for the elderly in Dublin. Concludes that depression is the most common mental disorder among the elderly in Dublin. Found that the frequency of anxiety symptoms in the presentation of depression may be a factor in the under-diagnosis or misdiagnosis of depression in the community-dwelling elderly.
Reports on a study to determine the prevalence of mental disorders among the community-dwelling elderly in the catchment area of a psychiatry service for the elderly in Dublin. Concludes that depression is the most common mental disorder among the elderly in Dublin. Found that the frequency of anxiety symptoms in the presentation of depression may be a factor in the under-diagnosis or misdiagnosis of depression in the community-dwelling elderly.
Subject terms:
mental health, mental health problems, older people, anxiety, depression, gender;
Journal of Mental Health, 28(3), 2019, pp.289-295.
Publisher:
Taylor and Francis
Place of publication:
London
Background: Stigma of mental ill-health and attitudes towards help-seeking are recognized barriers to seeking professional help, and have previously been linked to the type of support services available. Aims: This study examined if the introduction of community-based mental health services to an area impacts mental health stigma and attitudes towards professional help-seeking amongst local residents. Method: A repeated cross-sectional study comprising of community surveys in two localities was carried out before and after community-based mental health services were introduced (N = 1074). Measures including perceived public and self-stigma of mental ill-health, and attitudes towards seeking professional help were compared across the two time points. Results: Both public and self-stigma were significantly lower, and attitudes towards seeking professional help significantly more positive, after community-based mental health services had been introduced in each locality. Conclusions: The presence of local, accessible mental health services can positively impact help-seeking behaviour by reducing stigma and changing norms and attitudes around professional help-seeking.
(Edited publisher abstract)
Background: Stigma of mental ill-health and attitudes towards help-seeking are recognized barriers to seeking professional help, and have previously been linked to the type of support services available. Aims: This study examined if the introduction of community-based mental health services to an area impacts mental health stigma and attitudes towards professional help-seeking amongst local residents. Method: A repeated cross-sectional study comprising of community surveys in two localities was carried out before and after community-based mental health services were introduced (N = 1074). Measures including perceived public and self-stigma of mental ill-health, and attitudes towards seeking professional help were compared across the two time points. Results: Both public and self-stigma were significantly lower, and attitudes towards seeking professional help significantly more positive, after community-based mental health services had been introduced in each locality. Conclusions: The presence of local, accessible mental health services can positively impact help-seeking behaviour by reducing stigma and changing norms and attitudes around professional help-seeking.
(Edited publisher abstract)
Subject terms:
mental health, service provision, service uptake, attitudes, community care, community mental health services, stigma, mental health problems, self-help, self-directed support, self-determination, communities;
Child Abuse Review, 19(6), November 2010, pp.387-404.
Publisher:
Wiley
In this research funded by the Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse, 247 adult survivors of severe institutional abuse in Ireland were interviewed with a standard assessment protocol which included instruments which assessed history of child abuse and current psychological functioning. Participants were aged 40 to 83 years, 54.7% were male; on average they had spent 10 years living in an institution and it had been 22-65 years since they had suffered institutional abuse. Profiles were identified for subgroups that described severe sexual (n=60), physical (n=102), or emotional (n=85) abuse as their worst forms of maltreatment. Significant intergroup differences were found for gender, age, length of time living with family before entering an institution, reasons participants believed they were placed in institutions and institutional management. Survivors of severe sexual abuse were found to have the most abnormal profile, which was characterised by higher rates of all forms of child maltreatment and higher rates of post-traumatic stress disorder, alcohol and substance abuse, antisocial personality disorder, trauma symptoms and life problems. Survivors of severe emotional abuse were better adjusted than the other two groups. The profiles of survivors of severe physical abuse occupied an intermediate position between the other two groups. Implications for future research, practice and policy are discussed. The authors comment that a thorough assessment of abuse history and current functioning should be conducted when providing services to adult survivors of institutional abuse. Survivors of severe sexual abuse may require more intensive services.
In this research funded by the Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse, 247 adult survivors of severe institutional abuse in Ireland were interviewed with a standard assessment protocol which included instruments which assessed history of child abuse and current psychological functioning. Participants were aged 40 to 83 years, 54.7% were male; on average they had spent 10 years living in an institution and it had been 22-65 years since they had suffered institutional abuse. Profiles were identified for subgroups that described severe sexual (n=60), physical (n=102), or emotional (n=85) abuse as their worst forms of maltreatment. Significant intergroup differences were found for gender, age, length of time living with family before entering an institution, reasons participants believed they were placed in institutions and institutional management. Survivors of severe sexual abuse were found to have the most abnormal profile, which was characterised by higher rates of all forms of child maltreatment and higher rates of post-traumatic stress disorder, alcohol and substance abuse, antisocial personality disorder, trauma symptoms and life problems. Survivors of severe emotional abuse were better adjusted than the other two groups. The profiles of survivors of severe physical abuse occupied an intermediate position between the other two groups. Implications for future research, practice and policy are discussed. The authors comment that a thorough assessment of abuse history and current functioning should be conducted when providing services to adult survivors of institutional abuse. Survivors of severe sexual abuse may require more intensive services.
Subject terms:
institutional abuse, mental health, looked after children, mental health problems, personality disorders, physical abuse, post traumatic stress disorder, residential child care, substance misuse, survivors, traumas, adults, child abuse, child sexual abuse, emotional abuse;
Ask why Irish-born women in Britain have higher rates of mental illness than both indigenous and other immigrant women.
Ask why Irish-born women in Britain have higher rates of mental illness than both indigenous and other immigrant women.
Subject terms:
immigrants, social isolation, mental health, mental health problems, needs, racial discrimination, racism, self-esteem, schizophrenia, severe mental health problems, statistical methods, black and minority ethnic people, cultural identity;
British Medical Journal, 5.11.94, 1994, pp.1218-1221.
Publisher:
British Medical Association
Despite legislation to harmonise mental health practice throughout Europe and convergence in systems of training there remains an extraordinary diversity of psychiatric practice in Europe. Approaches to tackling substance misuse vary among nations; statistics on psychiatric morbidity are affected by different approaches to diagnosis and treatment of psychiatric disorders; attitudes towards mental illness show definite international differences. Everywhere, though, mental health care for patients with psychotic illness is a "cinderella service", and there is a general move towards care falling increasingly on the family and the community.
Despite legislation to harmonise mental health practice throughout Europe and convergence in systems of training there remains an extraordinary diversity of psychiatric practice in Europe. Approaches to tackling substance misuse vary among nations; statistics on psychiatric morbidity are affected by different approaches to diagnosis and treatment of psychiatric disorders; attitudes towards mental illness show definite international differences. Everywhere, though, mental health care for patients with psychotic illness is a "cinderella service", and there is a general move towards care falling increasingly on the family and the community.
Subject terms:
law, mental health, mental health problems, mental health services, psychiatry, social care provision, treatment, therapy and treatment, training, attitudes, community care, diagnosis, families;
University of Kent. European Institute of Social Services
Publication year:
1993
Pagination:
401p.
Place of publication:
Canterbury
Detailed account of social services in the twelve member states of the European Community. Contains sections on: organisation, responsibility and finance for social services; preventative services; children and families; elderly people; people with disabilities; addictions; illnesses; AIDS/HIV; socially excluded people; young people; services for migrants; names and addresses of major public and private social services agencies.
Detailed account of social services in the twelve member states of the European Community. Contains sections on: organisation, responsibility and finance for social services; preventative services; children and families; elderly people; people with disabilities; addictions; illnesses; AIDS/HIV; socially excluded people; young people; services for migrants; names and addresses of major public and private social services agencies.
Subject terms:
HIV AIDS, immigration, learning disabilities, mental health, mental health problems, older people, physical disabilities, poverty, prevention, private health care, social exclusion, social services, voluntary organisations, young people, addiction, alcohol misuse, black and minority ethnic people, children, drug misuse, families, health care;