Should the definition of 'mental disorder' under the Mental Health Act 1983 encompass autism, for the purpose of compulsory detention?
To be sectioned under the Mental Health Act 1983 (MHA), an individual must meet the definition of ‘mental disorder’ as per s.1(2). Despite the scarcity in academic scholarship concerning autism within the scope of the Act , the ‘mental disorder’ definition has been considered ludicrously broad . This paper seeks to highlight that the inclusion of autism under the MHA, results in discriminatory detention based on autism-related behaviour; therefore, the removal of autism from the MHA is necessary.
- Research Article
267
- 10.1002/j.2051-5545.2011.tb00022.x
- Jun 1, 2011
- World Psychiatry
A conceptual framework for the revision of the ICD‐10 classification of mental and behavioural disorders
- Research Article
30
- 10.1176/appi.ps.58.8.1087
- Aug 1, 2007
- Psychiatric Services
OBJECTIVE: This study estimated the rates of sexual victimization among prison inmates with and without a mental disorder. METHODS: The study sampled inmates aged 18 or older in 13 prisons within a single mid-Atlantic state prison system (12 facilities for men and one for women). A total of 7,528 inmates completed the survey instrument, which was administered by audio-computer-assisted technology. Of the 6,964 male respondents, 58.5% were African American, 16.2% were non-Hispanic white, 19.8% were Hispanic, and 5.5% were of another race or ethnicity. Of the 564 female respondents, 48.4% were African American, 30.9% were non-Hispanic white, 14.4% were Hispanic, and 7.3% were of another race or ethnicity. Mental disorder was based on self-reported previous mental health treatment for particular mental disorders. Sexual victimization was measured by using questions adapted from the National Violence Against Women and Men surveys. RESULTS: Approximately one in 12 male inmates with a mental disorder reported at least one incident of sexual victimization by another inmate over a six-month period, compared with one in 33 male inmates without a mental disorder. Among those with a mental disorder, sexual victimization was three times as high among female inmates (23.4%) as among male inmates (8.3%). African-American and Hispanic inmates with a mental disorder, independent of gender, reported higher rates of sexual victimization than their non-Hispanic white counterparts. CONCLUSIONS: Prisons are hazardous places. Steps must be taken to protect inmates from predators inside prison, to screen them for posttraumatic stress disorder, to provide trauma-related treatment, and to keep them safe.
- Abstract
- 10.1016/j.jaac.2022.09.124
- Oct 1, 2022
- Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry
1.108 Assessment and Treatment of Adolescents With Substance Use and Comorbid Depression, ADHD, and Trauma-Related Problems
- Research Article
6
- 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2019.12060
- Sep 25, 2019
- JAMA Network Open
Among people with diabetes, co-occurring mental health (MH) or substance use (SU) disorders increase the risk of medical complications. Identifying how to effectively promote long-term medical benefits for at-risk populations, such as people with MH or SU disorders, is essential. Knowing more about how health care accessed before the onset of diabetes is associated with health benefits after the onset of diabetes could inform treatment planning and population health management. To analyze how preexisting MH or SU disorders and primary care utilization before a new diabetes diagnosis are associated with the long-term severity of diabetes complications. This cohort study analyzed medical record data from US Department of Veterans Affairs health care systems nationwide and used mixed-effects regressions to test associations between prediabetes patient or health care factors and longitudinal progression of diabetes complication severity from 2006 to 2015. Participants included patients who received a new diabetes diagnosis in 2008 and who were aged 18 to 85 years at the time of their diagnosis. Data analysis was conducted from March to August 2017. Patients were assigned to groups on the basis of a 2-year look-back period for MH or SU disorders status (MH disorder only, SU disorder only, MH and SU disorder, or no MH or SU disorder diagnoses) and on the basis of the amount of primary care utilization before diabetes was diagnosed. Nine-year trajectories of Diabetes Complication Severity Index (DCSI) scores. Among 122 992 patients with newly diagnosed diabetes, the mean (SD) age was 62.3 (11.1) years, 118 810 (96.6%) were male, and 28 633 (23.3%) had preexisting MH or SU disorders diagnoses. From the onset of diabetes to 7 years later, patients' mean estimated DCSI scores increased from 0.84 (95% CI, 0.82-0.87) to 1.42 (95% CI, 1.36-1.47). Controlling for sociodemographic characteristics and medical comorbidities, SU disorders only (decrease in DCSI score, -0.09; 95% CI, -0.13 to -0.04; P < .001) or both MH and SU disorders (decrease in DCSI score, -0.13; 95% CI, -0.16 to -0.09; P < .001), but not MH disorders only, were associated with lower DCSI scores at the time of the onset of diabetes compared with no MH or SU disorders. More than 90% of patients with MH or SU disorders had primary care visits before diabetes was newly diagnosed, compared with approximately 58% of patients without MH or SU disorders. Patients who had primary care visits before the onset of diabetes had lower baseline DCSI scores, compared with patients who did not have primary care visits (decrease in DCSI score, -0.41 [95% CI, -0.43 to -0.39] for 1-2 visits, -0.50 [95% CI, -0.52 to -0.48] for 3-4 visits, -0.39 [95% CI, -0.41 to -0.37] for 5-8 visits, and -0.15 [95% CI, -0.17 to -0.12] for ≥9 visits; P < .001 for all). Patients with MH or SU disorders had lower overall, but more rapidly progressing, mean DCSI scores through year 7 after the onset of diabetes (MH disorder only, 0.006 [95% CI, 0.005-0.008], P < .001; SU disorder only, 0.005 [95% CI, 0.001-0.008], P = .004; or both MH and SU disorders, 0.008 [95% CI, 0.006-0.011], P < .001), compared with patients without MH or SU disorders. Access to and engagement in integrated health care may be associated with modest, albeit impermanent, long-term health benefits for patients with MH and/or SU disorders with newly diagnosed diabetes.
- Research Article
2
- 10.1176/appi.ps.61.5.495
- May 1, 2010
- Psychiatric Services
Mental Disorders and Service Use Among Welfare and Disability Program Participants in Fee-for-Service Medicaid
- Research Article
43
- 10.1176/ps.2009.60.11.1516
- Nov 1, 2009
- Psychiatric Services
Objective-This retrospective cohort study examined the association between co-occurring serious mental illness and substance use disorders and parole revocation among inmates from the Texas Department of Criminal Justice, the nation's largest state prison system. Methods-The study population included all 8,149 inmates who were released under parole supervision between September 1, 2006, and November 31, 2006.An electronic database was used to identify inmates whose parole was revoked within 12 months of their release.The independent risk of parole revocation attributable to psychiatric disorders, substance use disorders, and other covariates was assessed with logistic regression analysis.Results-Parolees with a dual diagnosis of a major psychiatric disorder (major depressive disorder, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, or other psychotic disorder) and a substance use disorder had a substantially increased risk of having their parole revoked because of either a technical violation (adjusted odds ratio [OR]=1.7,95% confidence interval [CI]=1.4-2.4) or commission of a new criminal offense (OR=2.8,95% CI=1.7-4.5) in the 12 months after their release.However, parolees with a diagnosis of either a major psychiatric disorder alone or a substance use disorder alone demonstrated no such increased risk.Conclusions-These findings highlight the need for future investigations of specific social, behavioral, and other factors that underlie higher rates of parole revocation among individuals with co-occurring serious mental illness and substance use disorders.Over the past four decades the widespread deinstitutionalization of persons with serious mental illness (1-3), the increase in drug-related arrests (4,5), and the reduction of community-based mental health care (1,2) have resulted in a substantial overrepresentation of persons with serious mental illness in the U.S. correctional system (1,2,6).Approximately 10% to 20% of U.S. prison inmates are estimated to have an axis I major mental disorder of thought or mood, such as major depressive disorder, bipolar disorder, or schizophrenia (7-12).Moreover, a majority of inmates with serious mental illness have a comorbid substance use disorder (7,(12)(13)(14)(15).A number of investigations have examined predictors of recidivism among released inmates (16)(17)(18)(19).Although results of these studies-conducted throughout a variety of criminal justice
- Research Article
1
- 10.1176/appi.ps.61.11.1066
- Nov 1, 2010
- Psychiatric Services
Economic Grand Rounds: Types of Practitioners and Outpatient Visits in a Private Managed Behavioral Health Plan
- Research Article
88
- 10.1176/ps.2008.59.3.283
- Mar 1, 2008
- Psychiatric Services
Previous analyses demonstrated an elevated occurrence of perceived unmet need for mental health care among persons with co-occurring mental and substance use disorders in comparison with those with either disorder. This study built on previous work to examine these associations and underlying reasons in more detail. Secondary data analyses were performed on a subset of respondents to the 2002 Canadian Community Health Survey (unweighted N=4,052). Diagnostic algorithms classified respondents by past-year substance dependence and selected mood and anxiety disorders. Logistic regressions examined the associations between diagnoses and unmet need in the previous year, accounting for recent service use and potential predisposing, enabling, and need factors often associated with help seeking. Self-reported reasons underlying unmet need were also tabulated across diagnostic groups. Of persons with a disorder, 22% reported a 12-month unmet need for care. With controls for service use and other potential confounders, the odds of unmet need were significantly elevated among persons with co-occurring disorders (adjusted odds ratio=3.25; 95% confidence interval=1.96-5.37). Most commonly, the underlying reason involved a preference to self-manage symptoms or not getting around to seeking care, with some variation by diagnosis. The findings highlight potential problems for individuals with mental and substance use disorders in accessing services. The elevated occurrence of perceived unmet need appeared to be relatively less affected by contact with the health care system than by generalized distress and problem severity. Issues such as stigma, motivation, and satisfaction with past services may influence help-seeking patterns and perceptions of unmet need and should be examined in future work.
- Research Article
7
- 10.1002/ped4.12196
- Jun 1, 2020
- Pediatric Investigation
As in many other countries, child psychiatry in China has gradually developed from general psychiatry. In the early days of the profession, child psychiatry was considered as psychiatry for "little adults". Child psychiatry in China has gradually developed and expanded since the implementation of Professor Guotai Tao's child psychiatric services in Nanjing in the 1930s. In particular, the profession has developed rapidly since its affiliation with the International Association for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Allied Professions (IACAPAP) in 1998. Child psychiatry has been one of the fastest developing advanced international disciplines over the past 10 years. Pediatric psychiatry mainly focuses on the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of mental disorders in children, adolescents, and their families. In 1899, the term ''child psychiatry'' (in French) was used as a subtitle in Manheimer 's monograph Les Troubles Mentaux de l'Enfance. The Swiss psychiatrist Moritz Tramer (1882–1963) was probably the first to define child psychiatry, in 1933, in terms of diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis within the medical discipline. In 1934, he founded the Journal of Child Psychiatry (1934–1952), which later became Acta Paedopsychiatrica (1953–1994). The first academic pediatric psychiatry department was established in 1930 at the Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore by Leo Kanner (1894–1981). Since then, the clinical practice, research, and teaching of child psychiatry have gradually developed around the world.1 There have been three stages to the development of children's psychiatry in China. The first is the exploration and development period, which occurred mainly during the 1930s to the 1950s. This period was characterized by the introduction of Western models by experts and the exploratory development of child psychiatric services. Professor Yulin Cheng, Guotai Tao, and Yonghe Ling other professors are the pioneers. The second stage is the initial development period, which occurred from the 1950s to the late 1970s. Child psychiatric clinics and/or wards were established in Nanjing, Shanghai, Beijing, Guangzhou, Sichuan, Hunan and other places and child psychiatric teams were formed. Although there was a pause in the early 1970s, child psychiatric service models continued to be developed. The third period, from the late 1970s to the present, was characterized by rapid progress. The development of child psychiatry has been promoted mainly since the economic reform and opening-up in China, with the transformation of the medical model from a pure biomedical model to a biopsychosocial medical model. Psychiatrists, pediatricians, and psychologists have begun to focus on child mental health and have conducted some interdisciplinary research and practice. Following the establishment of the Nanjing Child Mental Health Research Center, many provinces and cities have established child mental health centers. Psychiatric hospitals or mental health institutes affiliated to major medical universities in Nanjing, Beijing, Hunan, Sichuan, Shanghai and other places have successively established Master's and doctoral training sites for child psychiatry and applied psychology. Relevant disciplines and research institutions such as child health care, behavioral pediatrics, special education schools, and autism training centers have successively joined the ranks of child mental health services. In particular, Professor Guotai Tao founded the Nanjing Child Mental Health Research Center in 1984. In August 1987, the center was appointed by the World Health Organization (WHO) as a scientific research and training cooperation center, and was appointed by the Chinese Ministry of Health (now the National Health Commission) as a child mental health guidance center. Many child psychiatrists and mental health workers have been trained, and academic exchanges have been promoted in China and abroad.2 With the rapid development of disciplines, Chinese child psychiatry has reached an internationally renowned and advanced level. Multidisciplinary participation in child psychiatry is good. For example, the psychology of child development, developmental behavior pediatrics, child neurology, child health care, education, and sociology have begun to attach importance to clinical practice and research on mental health. A growing number of universities and colleges offer degrees for social workers in clinical psychology and childcare. In addition, with more primary care centers in the community, primary care physicians can implement screening and follow-up for children with mental health disorders. However, the primary care providers still need more education and training. To address this problem, the National Health Commission has been advocating multilevel collaboration. Pediatricians and primary care physicians across the country are now being trained in early diagnosis and basic treatment for common mental disorders in children. They are taught to screen patients for signs of developmental disorders by checking, for example, whether a 3-month-old baby's eyes can follow moving objects or whether an 18-month-old child can make eye contact. The problem of the shortage of child psychiatrists has been partially solved.3 Children and adolescent mental health problems are related to a country's development and to global changes. About 20% of children and adolescents worldwide experience mental health disorders. The major challenges for children and adolescents with mental disorders are stigma, isolation, discrimination, and the lack of access to health care and education facilities. Obviously, children and adolescents are vulnerable groups; they have no political power and their mental health problems are complicated. The mental health of children and adolescents requires multisectoral cooperation and the attention of the whole society. In particular, the protection afforded by government actions and policies is crucial. Policies must be designed to ensure that children and adolescents can access even the most basic mental healthcare. However, there are few countries worldwide that provide specific policies for the mental health needs of children and adolescents.4 China has a large population of children. Rapid economic development and social reforms in recent years have had a substantial impact on the mental health of children and adolescents. Increasing social pressures and workers migration, and changes in family planning, have changed traditional family structures and social support systems.3 As part of development and progress within China, the Chinese government has initiated a series of policies and regulations to promote mental health. Some of these policies are aimed at promoting mental health in children and adolescents; for example, "The Law of the People's Republic of China on the Protection of Minors", "The Law of the People's Republic of China on the Protection of the Rights and Interests of Women and Children", "The Law of the People's Republic of China on the Protection of Disabled Persons", "Mental Health Law of the People's Republic of China", and programmatic documents such as the "Healthy China 2030 Planning Outline", "National Program of Outline for Action for Child Development in China (2011–2020)", "Guidelines for the Prevention and Treatment of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder'', ''Guidelines for the Diagnosis, Treatment and Rehabilitation of Children with Autism'', and ''Technical Specifications for Children's Mental Health Care''.5-10 These reflect how the support of national policies has driven the development of child psychiatry. Major national basic and clinical research projects have invested in child psychiatry research, such as the National Natural Science Foundation of China, which has supported national research and development plans in key health areas. Research by a team led by Professor Zhang Dai has demonstrated that FMR1, DISC1, EN2, and SHANK3 genes are related to autism. Studies by a team led by Professor Kun Xia and Jingping Zhao have shown that XRXN1, GRIN2B, RELN, and DAB1 genes may be antecedents of autism. Such research has been published in several high quality academic journals in recent years.11, 12 Some research of the National "12th and 13th Five-Year Plan" scientific and technological support projects led by Professor Yi Zheng, on "The Epidemiological Study of Child Mental Disorders in China" and "Comprehensive Intervention Strategies for Chronic Non-communicable Diseases with Attention Deficit-Hyperactivity Disorder". These show that Chinese child psychiatry has become a discipline supported by the national key research project. Traditional research group in child psychiatry include the team led by Professor Guotai Tao, Jie Lin and Xiaoyan Ke about autism, mental retardation and childhood schizophrenia; team led by Professor Yufeng Wang on attention deficit hyperactivity disorder; team led by Professor Xiaoling Yang and Jing Liu about autism spectrum disorders; team led by Professor Xuerong Li, Linyan Su and Xuerong Luo on epidemiological surveys and tool scales for child mental disorders; team led by Professor Rene Xin, Yasong Du and Wenhong Chen on epidemiological investigation of children's behavior problems and related research on child psychology and family therapy; team led by Professor Shiji Zhang, Yi Zheng, Yonghua Cui and Fan He on tics and related disorders; and team led by Professor Youhe Shan, Lanting Guo and Yi Huang on behavioral scales and tic disorders. The above studies have published valuable articles in academic journals and won many awards. Child psychiatrists need to be dedicated. The treatment of patients with mental illness is difficult and often daunting, and children's mental health disorders are particularly difficult to treat. Treatment of children with autism or mania requires tackling difficult problems and good practice in basic clinical skills. In China, child psychiatrists experience low returns and low income. The number of child psychiatric inpatients and outpatients is constantly increasing, and their treatment often relies on the dedication of child psychiatrists. To treat such patients, there are now more than 10 centers, nearly 1000 beds, and dozens of special education centers, such as autism rehabilitation centers. To care for left-behind children, children infected with AIDS, children affected by natural disasters such as earthquakes, and children with substance abuse and internet addiction, many child mental health workers and full-time child psychiatrists have formed competent national and local emergency response teams. Child psychiatrists are now available to help children to cope with a variety of social disasters, such as the Wenchuan earthquake or the "3.01" terrorist incident in Kunming. The development of modern child psychiatry in China is interlinked with foreign exchange. Since Professor Guotai Tao's studies in the United States in 1940, Chinese child psychiatry has been continuously introducing and incorporating foreign advanced diagnosis and treatment and research concepts. At present, Professor Tao has discussed diagnostic issues with international authoritative experts in foreign journals and participated in the preparation of the 11th revision of the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-11). Professor Tao was the first international participant in efforts to promote the integration of child and adult psychiatry and the popularization of the notion of the lifelong effects of mental illness, such as the Cross-Strait Summit Forum, and domestic and foreign academic institutions and academic exchanges, such as the Asian Society for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Allied Professions (ASCAPAP) and the International Association for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Allied Professions (IACAPAP). Chinese child psychiatrists have attended and contributed to both of the latter societies. Since the 1930s, older generations of individuals, such as Yulin Cheng, Guotai Tao, and Xueshi Chen, have made substantial contributions to the development of the discipline of child psychiatry. In 1989, Professor Jie Lin set up and led the Child Psychiatric Group of the Chinese Medical Association Psychiatry Branch. Professor Guotai Tao served as a consultant of the Group. Almost at the same time, the Chinese Mental Health Association established the Child and Adolescent Professional Committee, with Xuerong Li as director. Xueshi Chen serves as a consultant. Since then, two academic organizations have held annual meetings or training courses. In 1998, Professor Shiji Zhang, Yi Zheng, and Linyan Su participated in the IACAPAP congress and joined this organization, which is the most highly regarded academic organization in international child psychiatry. Chinese child psychiatry is fully in line with international developments in child psychiatry. In 2003, Professor Yi Zheng and Linyan Su attended the WHO Expert Headquarters "Concern for Children and Adolescents with Mental Disorders" meeting as Chinese representatives. In the same year, Professor Yi Zheng participated in the ASCAPAP congress and was elected as an executive member. In 2004, Professor Yi Zheng was appointed onto the IACAPAP executive committee. Professor Yi Zheng created the Cross-Strait Children's Psychiatry Summit Forum, which is held once every 2 years alternately in the mainland of China and Taiwan province, China. The Forum is now in its ninth session and has promoted the rapid development of the discipline. In 2010, the 19th IACAPAP International congress was successfully held in Beijing. This was the first time that this congress had been held in a developing country. Professor Yi Zheng served as Executive Chairman, and Professor Jing Liu served as Chairman of the organizing committee. Xiulian Gu, Zhu Chen, Wenkang Zhang and the country's main health care officials attended the opening ceremony and delivered speeches. More than 1300 foreign scholars and 500 domestic scholars attended the congress. Yi Zheng was elected onto the ASCAPAP executive committee and was elected Chairman, and Jing Liu was elected Vice-Chairman of ASCAPAP. At the 21st IACAPAP Conference held in South Africa in 2014, Professor Yi Zheng was elected Vice-President of IACAPAP and won the International Child Psychiatry Outstanding Contribution Award, indicating that Chinese child psychiatry has played a major role on the international stage.2 China has a population of more than 1.3 billion individuals, of which 238 million are children younger than 15 years of age.13 Though a nationwide prevalence study is lacking, some regional epidemiological studies show that the prevalence of mental health disorders in children is close to the worldwide prevalence of 20%,14-18 indicating that about 50 million children in China require treatment for mental health disorders. However, there is a scarcity of child and adolescent psychiatrists (CAPs) in China, and there are less than 500 full-time CAPs nationwide. Currently, only a national psychiatrist certification system exists, and there is no child psychiatrist certification system. Instead, students must obtain a postgraduate training certificate or a nationally approved Ph.D. or Master 's degree training certificate to become a child psychiatrist. A recent survey showed that training units for CAPs are mainly concentrated in large and medium-sized cities. Moreover, only a small number of medical personnel in China can diagnose and treat children and adolescents with mental health disorders, and these have insufficient training. Currently available training for child psychiatrists contains insufficient scientific, practical, and problem-solving content. Furthermore, current educational training poorly equips child psychiatrists for subsequent teaching and professional scientific research abilities. Therefore, a greater training focus is needed on more comprehensive qualities and abilities, such as dedication. Although CAPs undertake a long process of training, this mainly comprises postgraduate or doctoral Master's degree training; the national specialized certification system for CAPs has only been piloted in major cities. The CAP training system requires further improvements, and more CAPs are needed.19 China still has a shortage of child psychiatrists. To address this, a new type of multilevel collaboration is currently being implemented. Pediatricians and primary care physicians are also receiving training in child psychiatry. In addition, psychotherapists from other countries have been recruited to help train psychiatrists. China is currently exploring all possible ways to strengthen multilevel collaboration to promote the children's physical and mental health.3 The artificial boundary between children and adults with mental health disorders will be removed: more attention and value will be placed upon the treatment of adult attention deficit–hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), adult autism spectrum disorder (ASD), adult tic disorder, and other issues. Gene diagnosis and classification of child neurological and mental development disorders will become a reality: the detection of genes for susceptibility to ASD, ADHD, tic disorders, child schizophrenia, and child bipolar disorder will become possible. The concept of the supremacy of child mental health will gradually be accepted. More and more studies have confirmed that among the main factors for healthy and successful child developmental, child mental health is of paramount importance. As physical health and nutritional issues have been generally resolved in most parts of China, the impact of mental health on the future success of children will be a core health issue. Therefore, mental health should start with children. The multidisciplinary and multisector nature of child mental health will be further improved: medicine, economics, sociology, and other disciplines will pay close attention to child mental health. In particular, the only-child problem, the problems experienced by elderly parents in raising a second child, the problem of left-behind children, AIDS-infected children, Internet addiction problems, youth suicide, and crime prevention problems will become the focus of social attention. There will be new breakthroughs in early diagnosis and interventions for child mental health disorders: the ICD-11 (containing input from Chinese experts) will soon be released. Early warning indicators for child psychological problems and quantitative assessment techniques for child mental health care will be promoted from the national level to the whole country. Like child vaccination, assessments and interventions for child psychological conditions will benefit every child, which will set a global precedent. Treatment methods for child mental health disorders will be qualitatively improved. In addition to the further optimization of the structure and dosage of antipsychotics, research on functional food will make significant progress, and the use of alternative medicine and traditional Chinese medicine for child mental health disorders will be further clarified. In conclusion, the development of child psychiatry in China is still far behind developed countries, but a golden age of rapid development is approaching. Research on prevention and control of major chronic non-communicable diseases in the Ministry of Science and Technology (No: 2016YFC1306100) None.
- Discussion
22
- 10.7326/l17-0111
- Jul 4, 2017
- Annals of Internal Medicine
The Association of Firearm Suicide With Mental Illness, Substance Use Conditions, and Previous Suicide Attempts.
- Front Matter
2
- 10.1111/acps.12284
- May 12, 2014
- Acta psychiatrica Scandinavica
The central place of psychiatry in health care worldwide.
- Research Article
6
- 10.1080/09687599.2021.1918539
- Apr 19, 2021
- Disability & Society
This paper examines how an intersection of critical cultural disability studies and rhetorical studies can inform a critical education on ‘mental health (problems)’ for psychology students. Building on cultural theories of disability/impairment, a conception of ‘mental health (problems)’ as culturally constituted is introduced. We propose the rhetorical perspective as a particularly relevant analytical and pedagogical approach to enable students to critically reflect on the cultural assumptions underpinning various (professional) understandings of ‘mental health (problems)’. Our contribution is based on a research project in which clinical psychology students rhetorically analysed cultural constructions of ‘mental health (problems)’ in a graphic novel on ‘bipolar disorder’. Based on a qualitative analysis of students’ reflective reports, we argue that rhetorical perspectives enable students to develop reflexive stances towards the different cultural logics, and the ethical and political ramifications of these logics, in which psychological practice and knowledge on ‘mental health (problems)’ are inevitably embedded. Points of interest This article argues that clinical psychology students need to think critically about the language they use to think and talk about mental health problems because this language has an impact on their beliefs, attitudes and actions towards people experiencing mental health problems. Educators can support students in this endeavour by introducing them to stories that challenge some of the dominant ways society thinks and talks about mental health problems, for example by working with stories or art work of survivors. In this study, clinical psychology students read an autobiographical graphic novel on ‘bipolar disorder’. The graphic novel made students reflect on how the main character in the novel experiences mental health problems, on their personal and professional assumptions about mental health problems, and on dominant societal assumptions about mental health problems and their impact.
- Research Article
6
- 10.1176/appi.ps.60.1.86
- Jan 1, 2009
- Psychiatric Services
Gender Differences in Police Encounters Among Persons With and Without Serious Mental Illness
- Research Article
85
- 10.1176/ps.2009.60.1.86
- Jan 1, 2009
- Psychiatric Services
This study examined the rates, patterns, and types of police contacts among men and women with and without serious mental illness. Data on type of contact, type and number of offenses, dispositions, and repeat offenses were extracted from an administrative database of all police encounters in a midsized Canadian city over a six-year period (N=767,365). Men and women with serious mental illness represented, respectively, .5% and .4% of men and women who had at least one contact with the police; however, they were involved in 3.2% and 3.0% of all interactions, respectively. Persons with mental illness were more likely than those without mental illness to be in contact with police as suspected offenders, to have a greater number of offenses, to reoffend more quickly, and to be formally charged for a suspected offense. Among persons without mental illness in contact with police, men were much more likely than women to be offenders, to have a greater number of offenses, and to reoffend more quickly. Among persons with mental illness, however, the gender gap for these measures was significantly smaller. More resources should be allocated to support persons with mental illness in the community because they tend to have high rates of repeated police contacts for a variety of offenses. The findings highlight the need for gender-specific intervention programs. Administrative databases can be useful tools in examining police contacts among persons with mental illness and monitoring change after policy and program implementation for those at risk of police encounters.
- Front Matter
26
- 10.46292/sci2702-152
- Mar 1, 2021
- Topics in Spinal Cord Injury Rehabilitation
Management of Mental Health Disorders, Substance Use Disorders, and Suicide in Adults with Spinal Cord Injury: Clinical Practice Guideline for Healthcare Providers.
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