Search results for ‘Subject term:"mental health problems"’ Sort:
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Characteristics of male batters in treatment: an example of a localized program evaluation concerning attrition
- Authors:
- McCLOSKEY Kathy A., et al
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Aggression Maltreatment and Trauma, 8(4), 2003, pp.67-95.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
This article presents information on the characteristics of a clinical population of male perpetrators of intimate partner violence (IPV) court-ordered for batterers' treatment, and how these characteristics co-varied with treatment attrition. The average demographic profile of male batterers in a midwestern treatment program that met present-day treatment guidelines was similar to that found in other studies. In addition, relationship length and status, alcohol/drug use, self-reports of past treatment and mental health issues, and self-report of witnessing or experiencing violence within the home during childhood was also similar. Batterers' self-reports of their own violent behavior were found to vary by data collection technique, with face-to-face interviews eliciting greater admission of violent behavior than paper-and-pencil questionnaires. However, the only predictors of successful treatment outcome were living arrangement at the time of treatment and racial category. Implications of these findings are discussed, and “local effects” programme evaluation approaches are suggested. (Copies of this article are available from: Haworth Document Delivery Centre, Haworth Press Inc., 10 Alice Street, Binghamton, NY 13904-1580)
Mental disorder and violence: an empirical picture in context
- Authors:
- PILGRIM David, ROGERS Anne
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Mental Health, 12(1), February 2003, pp.7-18.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
- Place of publication:
- London
The assumed relationship between mental disorder and violence is empirically contested and yet politicians remain concerned about the special threat which psychiatric patients allegedly pose to public safety. This paper aims to explore how this public policy scenario has arisen. The evidence about dangerousness in psychiatric populations is examined in relation to patient, ecological and socio-economic factors. Given that the above evidence provides only weak grounds for concern about psychiatric patients being disproportionately dangerous, the skewed policy discourse noted in the background is explained by describing three contextualising factors: public prejudice; the widening remit of deviance-control by psychiatry during the twentieth century; and inconsistent societal sanctions about dangerousness.
Psychological and emotional problems in staff following assaults by patients
- Authors:
- WILDGOOSE Joanna, BRISCOE Martin, LLOYD Kieth
- Journal article citation:
- Psychiatric Bulletin, 27(8), August 2003, pp.295-297.
- Publisher:
- Royal College of Psychiatrists
The aim of this research determine psychological morbidity among staff following actual or threatened violence from patients on acute psychiatric wards. A retrospective survey of all 156 clinical staff on Exeter’s acute psychiatric wards was conducted by means of an anonymous questionnaire using standardised measures. The response rate was 81%, and 72% of respondents had experienced one or more distressing incidents of actual or threatened violence within the previous year. The 12-item General Health Questionnaire and Impact of Events Scale scores were significantly higher in those who reported exposure to ‘frequent’ violent incidents Some National Health Service staff may be harmed psychologically when they are at work. This consequently may have implications for patient care, employer liability and recruitment.
The psychiatrist’s response to imminent violence : have clinical practice guidelines improved practice?
- Author:
- KIDD Brian A.
- Journal article citation:
- Psychiatric Bulletin, 27(8), August 2003, pp.283-284.
- Publisher:
- Royal College of Psychiatrists
Public inquiries have followed the most tragic incidents and all have led to broadly similar conclusions - that these episodes are to some extent preventable and that comprehensive systems of care and risk management might prevent the apparent lapses of care that have often been associated with these tragedies. It was in this context that the Royal College of Psychiatrists produced its first clinical practice guideline, entitled 'Management of Imminent Violence.' It is time to review the impact of this guideline. In the intervening 5 years, psychiatric practice would appear to have come under the spotlight even more with regard to risk assessment. New mental health legislation makes the psychiatrist more responsible than ever before with regard to violent acts.
Cognitive distortions of religious professionals who sexually abuse children
- Authors:
- SARADJIAN Adam, NOBUS Dany
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 18(8), August 2003, pp.905-925.
- Publisher:
- Sage
This study uses grounded theory to investigate the cognitive distortions in the self-report statements of 14 clergymen who had sexually abused children. These clergy were residents at an assessment and treatment center for child molesters. The content of the offenders' cognitive distortions was identified and categorized into thematic groups. These categories were found to relate to the various stages of the offending cycle. A tentative model was generated that illustrates the relationship between the categories and the hypothesized sequence of thought facilitating the initiation and maintenance of sexually abusive behavior. In addition, a number of cognitive processes were identified as contributing to offenders' beliefs. The study also reveals that the clergymen used their religious role and relationship with God within their distorted beliefs. These beliefs were predominantly concentrated in the areas of giving themselves permission to offend, denial of likelihood of getting caught, reduction of guilt after offending, and maintaining a positive sense of self.
Community violence exposure and associated behavior problems among children and adolescents in residential treatment
- Authors:
- GUTERMAN Neil B., CAMERON Mark, HAHM Hyeouk C.
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Aggression Maltreatment and Trauma, 6(2), 2003, pp.111-135.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
Community violence exposure is increasingly recognized as playing an important role in the presenting behavioral profiles of children and adolescents. This cross-sectional study reports findings on the lifetime rates of community violence exposure in a sample of 101 children and adolescents living in residential treatment in the USA, and the associations between such exposure and their presenting behavior problems. A total of 41 percent of the study participants reported they had been severely physically victimised, and 80 percent stated they had witnessed severe physical victimisation. After controlling for background variables, hierarchical regression analyses indicated that sexual victimisation and, to a lesser degree, personal physical victimisation selectively predicted greater behaviour problems, whereas witnessed physical violence predicted fewer behaviour problems overall. These findings highlight a need to conduct multidimensional assessments of violence exposure among children and adolescents in residential and other mental health settings. (Copies of this article are available from: Haworth Document Delivery Centre Haworth Press Inc., 10 Alice Street Binghamton, NY 13904-1580)
The impact of contact on stigmatizing attitudes toward people with mental illness
- Authors:
- ALEXANDER Laurel A., LINK Bruce G.
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Mental Health, 12(3), June 2003, pp.271-289.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
- Place of publication:
- London
A growing body of research suggests that personal experience with people who have a mental illness can reduce stigmatizing attitudes towards mental illness. However, the generalizability of these findings has been restrained by their samples and operational definitions of contact and stigma. This research seeks to test the contact-stigma link using a nationally representative sample and comprehensive measures of both contact and stigma. Data were collected in a 1990 American telephone survey of attitudes towards homelessness and homeless people with mental illnesses. By telephone, 1507 respondents completed measures of the perceived dangerousness of people with mental illnesses and their contact experiences with mental illness. A subsample of 640 respondents was read a vignette of a character with mental illness and then completed measures of their desired social distance from the character and the perceived dangerousness of the character. All respondents completed measures of political conservatism, social desirability, and anomia as well. As total contact increased, the perceived dangerousness and desired social distance from the vignette character decreased, as did the perceived dangerousness of people with mental illnesses in general. However, the contact types did not consistently predict the vignette stigma measures. While more research is needed to clarify and extend these findings, this study provides strong evidence for the importance of different contact types in reducing stigmatizing attitudes and the potential usefulness of incorporating contact into any stigma reduction intervention.
Do one-shot preventive interventions for PTSD work?: a systematic research synthesis of psychological debriefings
- Author:
- LEWIS Steve J.
- Journal article citation:
- Aggression and Violent Behavior, 8(3), May 2003, pp.329-343.
- Publisher:
- Elsevier
Psychological debriefings (PDs) have proliferated throughout the trauma and mental health community under the auspice as a one-shot preventive intervention to mitigate acute stress reactions and prevent the development of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The author presents the results of a systematic research synthesis (SRS) of the available literature on the many variants of PDs. Fifteen empirical studies were systematically analyzed to determine the empirical status of PDs, examine the contention that debriefings prevent PTSD, and investigate the context and with whom PDs demonstrate effectiveness. In toto, PDs lack empirical support. Furthermore, the studies examined had a number of methodological shortcomings, which accent the need for further, well-controlled research of the components of debriefings, experience and training of debriefing providers, and the appropriate context and population prescriptive of PD.
Assertive outreach teams in London: patient characteristics and outcomes: Pan-London Assertive Outreach Study, Part 3
- Authors:
- PRIEBE Stefan, et al
- Journal article citation:
- British Journal of Psychiatry, 183(8), August 2003, pp.148-154.
- Publisher:
- Cambridge University Press
Although the model of assertive outreach has been widely adopted, it is unclear who receives assertive outreach in practice and what outcomes can be expected under routine conditions. Patients (n=580) were sampled from 24 assertive outreach teams in London. Outcomes – days spent in hospital and compulsory hospitalisation – were assessed over a 9-month follow-up. The 6-month prevalence rate of substance misuse was 29%, and 35% of patients had been physically violent in the past 2 years. During follow-up, 39% were hospitalised and 25% compulsorily admitted. Outcome varied significantly between team types. These differences did not hold true when baseline differences in patient characteristics were controlled for. Routine assertive outreach serves a wide range of patients with significant rates of substance misuse and violent behaviour. Over a 9-month period an average of 25% of assertive outreach patients can be expected to be hospitalised compulsorily. Differences in outcome between team types can be explained by differences in patient characteristics.
Treatment needs of women arrested for domestic violence: a comparison with male offenders
- Authors:
- HENNING Kris, JONES Angela, HOLDFORD Robert
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 18(8), August 2003, pp.839-856.
- Publisher:
- Sage
Rising numbers of women arrested for domestic violence present many theoretical and practical challenges. At the theoretical level, there is ongoing debate about whether women are equally aggressive as men. At the practical level, little research is available to guide how female cases are handled in the criminal justice system. In this study, data were obtained regarding demographic characteristics, mental health functioning, and childhood familial dysfunction for a large sample of male (n =2,254) and female (n = 281) domestic violence offenders. The women were demographically similar to the men, and few differences were noted in their childhood experiences. Women were more likely than men to have previously attempted suicide, whereas more men had conduct problems in childhood and substance abuse in adulthood. Compared to the male offenders, women reported more symptoms of personality dysfunction and mood disorder. Treatment implications of these findings are discussed.