Search results for ‘Subject term:"severe mental health problems"’ Sort:
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Family social networks and recovery from severe mental illness of clubhouse members
- Authors:
- BIEGEL David E., et al
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Family Social Work, 16(4), 2013, pp.274-296.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
- Place of publication:
- Philadelphia, USA
This study examined the contribution of family social network variables to recovery among Clubhouse members. A random sample of 118 members from one Clubhouse was recruited for this cross-sectional study. Among all respondents, greater overall family support and better relationship quality with the most supportive network member were correlated with greater levels of recovery. Clubhouse members perceived higher quantity and quality of support and more criticalness from their most supportive network members, principally family members, compared to the rest of their family members. Longitudinal studies are needed to further investigate the relationship between family support and recovery. (Publisher abstract)
Doing it for themselves
- Authors:
- LUCAS Jo, VASYLCHENKO Olga
- Journal article citation:
- Openmind, 139, May/June 2006, pp.10-11.
- Publisher:
- MIND
The authors report on Friends Union, a vibrant community-based service in Ukraine which provides support for people with severe mental health problems. It has grown from a small fragile group led by a professionals, to one which provides support for a large number of people and where professionals take a more distant role.
Collective voices
- Author:
- DILLON Jacqui
- Journal article citation:
- Openmind, 142, November/December 2006, pp.16-18.
- Publisher:
- MIND
The author discusses the importance of Hearing Voices networks, and the growth of the London Hearing Voices Groups Project in particular.
Day services modernisation and social inclusion
- Authors:
- DAVIS Fabian, ALDER Sue, JONES Phil
- Journal article citation:
- A Life in the Day, 8(3), August 2004, pp.18-24.
- Publisher:
- Emerald
Explores some service development practices that help to promote social inclusion through day services modernisation, based on the experiences of one NHS trust that successfully negotiated the transition from segregated buildings-based in-house day care services operating during working hours to ones that are individualised, person-focused and operate at times and places used also by the general public, providing individual, person to person support to enable recovery and quality of life in the wider community. Key to success is the concept of the modern, inclusive day service as a community bridge builder operating across a number of life domains and spanning the mental health/community boundary while retaining strong connections with the rest of the mental health system.
The support networks of people with severe, long-term mental health problems
- Authors:
- HATFIELD Barbara, et al
- Journal article citation:
- Practice: Social Work in Action, 6(1), 1992, pp.25-40.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
Examines the areas of relationships and professional support to mental health service users with severe, long-term mental health problems. The tenuous nature of support available to many service users both in the community and in staffed settings is identified, and it is argued that for real improvements in quality of life, the newly-emerging care manager role will need to address explicitly the relationship environment of people with such problems.
Parenting style, competence, social network and attachment in mothers with mental illness
- Authors:
- GELKOPF Marc, JABOTARO Suzy Ella
- Journal article citation:
- Child and Family Social Work, 18(4), 2013, pp.496-503.
- Publisher:
- Wiley
Severe mental illnesses (SMIs) can affect parents' ability to provide an adequate environment for their children. Little has been written about the different factors that affect these abilities in individuals with SMI. In this study, we explored a number of relationships that have been found in the literature to be related to parenting styles. The main hypotheses were that the participants' secure attachment with their parents is positively correlated with high levels of social support; social support is positively correlated with the experience of having good parental competency; lack of parental competency is negatively correlated with problematic parenting styles. This correlational and cross-sectional study was conducted with 60 mothers with SMI. Results suggest a strong relationship between parental style, sense of parental competency, social support and attachment style of the parent. Negative parental styles were found to be negatively correlated with parental competence. Overactive and hostile parenting styles were found to be correlated with the interviewees' parental overprotecting attachment style. Positive correlations were found between parental competence and high social support. The results of the study may help in developing future multidimensional interventions for parents with SMI, to improve their parenting skills and reduce any negative influence on their offspring. (Publisher abstract)
Role of social networks in the help-seeking experiences among Chinese suffering from severe mental illness in England: a qualitative study
- Authors:
- YEUNG Echo Yuet-Wah, et al
- Journal article citation:
- British Journal of Social Work, 43(3), 2013, pp.486-503.
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
The onset of mental illness can have a significant impact on individuals' lives and on the people who they come into contact with in their social networks. This paper presents the findings of the exploratory stage of a larger study that aims to examine the role of social networks in the help-seeking process of Chinese people suffering from severe mental illness in England. The study used a qualitative phenomenological approach in which in-depth interviews were conducted with three Chinese people suffering from severe mental illness and four network ties who were involved in the help-seeking process. The results of the study showed that family may not be involved in every stage of help-seeking. The size of social networks of Chinese people suffering from mental illness became bigger and the composition of social networks became more diverse after their first contact with mental health services. The implications of the study encourage social workers and mental health professionals to explore resources in the wider social networks to ensure that Chinese people suffering from mental illness receive adequate support to meet their mental health needs. (Publisher abstract)
Spiritual well-being of people with psychiatric disabilities: the role of religious attendance, social network size and sense of control
- Authors:
- FUKUI Sadaaki, STARNINO Vincent R., NELSON-BECKER Holly B.
- Journal article citation:
- Community Mental Health Journal, 48(2), April 2012, pp.202-211.
- Publisher:
- Springer
The influence of psychiatric symptoms, religious attendance, social network size, and sense of control on spiritual well-being were investigated in a cross-sectional study using the Spirituality Index of Well-being. Forty-seven participants with psychiatric disabilities from six consumer-run organizations participated. A factor analysis result revealed two domains of spiritual well-being for people with psychiatric disabilities: self-perceptions regarding making sense of life (developing life purpose) and self-efficacy in obtaining life goals. Based on our regression analyses, religious attendance, expanding social network size, and having a sense of control over important areas of life may enhance spiritual well-being in spite of severity of psychiatric symptoms. Supporting mental health consumers who hope to be fully integrated into social and spiritual communities is important. Given the increased attention to consumers’ internal spiritual experiences in a recovery process, this study adds to knowledge about spirituality in the mental health field.
Clinical problems in community mental health care for patients with severe borderline personality disorder
- Authors:
- KOEKKOEK B., VAN MEIJEL B., HUTSCHEMAEKERS G.
- Journal article citation:
- Community Mental Health Journal, 45(6), December 2009, pp.508-516.
- Publisher:
- Springer
The objective of this research was to assess the problems that professionals perceive in the community mental health care for patients with severe borderline personality disorder that do not fit into specialized therapy. A group of 8 national experts participated in a four-phase Delphi-procedure to identify and prioritize the problems. A total of 36 problems reflecting five categories was found: patient-related, professional-related, interaction-related, social system-related, and mental health care-related. Problems with attachment and dependency and social issues were important patient problems while a lack of skills was an important professional problem. Support from the patient’s social system and the mental health system were identified as limited, which resulted in both the patient and the professional feeling isolated. Patient, professional, and organisational characteristics of community care differ substantially from those of specialized care. The field is thus in need of a more tailored approach that takes these differences into account.
On being a girlfriend not a patient: the quest for an acceptable identity amongst people diagnosed with a severe mental illness
- Authors:
- FORRESTER-JONES Rachel, BARNES Anna
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Mental Health, 17(2), April 2008, pp.153-172.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
- Place of publication:
- London
Whilst the ways in which mental illness influences personhood have been documented, how social support can forge a more positive identity has not been explored. Using Goffman's theories of stigma the aim of this paper is to report on a qualitative study of how 17 people diagnosed with a severe mental illness received and provided social support in order to forge and manage a less stigmatizing identity than that of “being sick”. Courtesy-stigma as an issue for those trying to live “ordinary” lives is highlighted. Qualitative research methods were used including unstructured open-ended interviews. Individuals reported that social support could be helpful in terms of developing a more “acceptable” identity, which enabled some degree of social integration into mainstream life. On the other hand, people who managed to “escape” from lives defined by their mental health status, sometimes found life on the outside stressful and rejecting. This led to some seeking refuge in the mental health community again. Social support plays a vital role in the construction of a more valuable identity than that of patient.