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'People look at you differently': students' experience of mental health support within higher education
- Authors:
- QUINN Neil, et al
- Journal article citation:
- British Journal of Guidance and Counselling, 37(4), November 2009, pp.405-418.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
Against the backdrop of a major expansion in higher education, the number of students in higher education (HE) experiencing mental health problems is increasing. This poses a significant challenge to HE institutions in terms of how they best respond to students with mental health needs. This paper considers the implications of such developments by assessing the experience of students with mental health problems within one HE institution. The factors influencing students' ability to seek help is explored alongside their experience of accessing and using student support services. The study found that there was a general reluctance amongst students to disclose their mental health problems or to seek help, largely due to the stigma that exists. However, students who did seek help from University support and counselling services valued this and students benefited when there was a formal link between NHS and university support services. The implications of the study findings for HE institutions are then considered.
Media, mental health and discrimination: a frame of reference for understanding reporting trends
- Authors:
- KNIFTON Lee, QUINN Neil
- Journal article citation:
- International Journal of Mental Health Promotion, 10(1), February 2008, pp.23-31.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
Mental health-related stigma and discrimination are significant public health issues. Media reports can both reflect and influence public attitudes. This article develops a frame of reference that identifies a range of themes that can be used to capture a representative picture of trends in the range and balance of reporting different mental health problems. The frame of reference was applied to assess trends in schizophrenia reports in the broadsheet media in Scotland, between 2001 and 2005, to coincide with See Me, a national anti-stigma media campaign. It is suggested that a national media campaign can succeed in breaking the perceived link between schizophrenia and dangerousness. However, campaigns should give more emphasis to the range of subtle, negative reporting.
Mental health stigma and discrimination: the experience within social work
- Authors:
- GORMLEY David, QUINN Neil
- Journal article citation:
- Practice: Social Work in Action, 21(4), December 2009, pp.259-272.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
The stigma experienced by mental health service users has been examined by many authors but is rarely found within the social work literature. This paper explores the stigma experienced by service users within a social work context, and considers the strategies employed by various individuals and groups seeking to challenge the effects of stigma, highlighting the need to include social work in this debate. Semi-structured interviews were held with 6 social workers and 6 service users to determine their perspectives on some of the key concepts within the stigma discourse, on individuals’ experience of psychiatric services, on the relationships between professionals and service users, and the contribution of a recovery approach in addressing stigma. The paper concludes that local authority social work departments need to play a much more prominent role in tacking mental health stigma and discrimination. This requires policy developments, involvement of service users in planning and development of services, incorporating the experience of stigma within assessments, and improving multi-disciplinary collaboration to tackle stigma and discrimination. In addition, social work academics need to respond to the deficit of research in this area.
Understanding the carers' experience: examples from a Ghanaian context
- Authors:
- QUINN Neil, EVANS Tony
- Journal article citation:
- International Social Work, 53(1), January 2010, pp.62-72.
- Publisher:
- Sage
Informal carers play a key role in mental health care. This article draws on the work of Goffman to analyse the experiences of carers in Ghana. The findings illustrate the complex nature of caring and the need to develop social work practice that acknowledges the social context of carers’ reality.
Workplace interventions can reduce stigma
- Authors:
- KNIFTON Lee, WALKER Alice, QUINN Neil
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Public Mental Health, 7(4), December 2009, pp.40-50.
- Publisher:
- Emerald
Stigma and discrimination towards people with mental health problems is a global issue, imposing a considerable public health burden in terms of social isolation, limited life chances, delayed help-seeking behaviour and stress. While numerous initiatives have been undertaken to address these issues, an evidence base for what works is still emerging. This paper explores the impact of 15 population-level awareness workshops delivered over a five-month period to 137 participants. These were employees drawn from workplaces identified as being important in the day-to-day lives of people with mental health problems. Evaluation approaches maximised specificity, sensitivity and anonymity and they assessed participant knowledge, attitude and behaviour. The workshops significantly improved participant knowledge. Attitude change was more complex with an overall significant improvement in attitudes, particularly in relation to unpredictability and recovery, but not dangerousness, which had more positive baseline attitudes. Social distance, a proxy for behavioural intent, had significant improvements in relation to ‘moderate’ social contact only. Qualitative feedback indicated that complex, unanticipated and positive messages had been absorbed by participants and influenced beliefs and behavioural intent. Service user narratives focusing on recovery were identified as the most valuable component of the intervention.