Knowledge Of Psychologists Research Articles

Exploring cross-cultural perspectives on adolescent mental health among Congolese immigrant adults in the USA and Belgium

Purpose This paper aims to explore the intersection of cultural processes and immigration in parental understanding of adolescent mental health and mental health seeking behaviors among African immigrants in Western countries. The present study examines the perspectives of Congolese immigrant parents on adolescent mental health in Brussels, Belgium, and Raleigh, North Carolina, USA – two geographic regions with relatively large Congolese migrant populations. This study highlights a needed understanding of cultural and acculturative context in shaping the beliefs of Congolese immigrants and explores potential barriers of seeking health services. Additionally, it recognizes health issues among this underrepresented and underserved population. Design/methodology/approach Fifteen Congolese immigrant parents, eight in the USA and seven in Belgium, participated in structured qualitative interviews using an adapted version of Kleinman Questions and behavioral scenarios on depression, post-traumatic stress disorder and oppositional defiant disorder. Interviews were audio recorded, and participants were assigned pseudonyms to de-identify responses. English interviews were transcribed verbatim by a trained team of undergraduate research assistants, and French interviews were transcribed verbatim by the first author and a graduate research assistant. Following transcription, the first and second authors used a rapid analytic approach (Hamilton, 2013). The first and second authors conducted a matrix analysis to observe thematic patterns. Findings Parents interpreted adolescent behavior to be more problematic when the scenarios were overtly outside of their cultural realm of values and beliefs. Parents preferred methods of intervention through religious practices and/or family and community efforts rather than seeking mental health services in their host countries as a secondary option. The authors’ findings provide an understanding of the values and beliefs of this underrepresented demographic, which may be useful to guide health professionals on how to support this community in a culturally responsive way. Research limitations/implications Limitations to the current study include the structured nature of the interview guide that did not allow for in-depth qualitative exploration. Interviewed participants had lived in their host countries for more than 10+ years. Thus, the authors’ findings are not reflective of new immigrants’ experiences. Parents’ perspectives were likely shaped by exposure to Western beliefs related to support for mental health (e.g. knowledge of psychologists). Future studies should focus on recent refugees due to exposure to traumatic events and experiences reflective of the Democratic Republic of Congo’s (DRC’s) current socio-political situation, and how these are understood in the context of adolescent mental health. Further, due to the hypothetical nature of the scenarios, the authors cannot be sure that participants would engage in the identified approaches with their children. Additionally, hearing from the youth’s perspective would provide a clearer insight on how mental health and seeking professional help is viewed in a parent–child relationship. Finally, the data for this study were collected in 2019, prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. Although the authors cannot speak directly to Congolese refugee and immigrant experiences during this significant historical period, given the rise in mental health concerns in refugee populations more broadly (Logie et al., 2022), the authors’ findings speak to how parents may have responded to increased mental health symptoms and point to additional barriers that these populations may have faced in accessing support. The authors’ study emphasizes the need for dedicating resources and attention to this population, especially the development of culturally tailored messaging that invites community members to support the mental health needs of their community. Practical implications The authors’ findings provide important implications for mental health professionals. This study provides a clearer understanding of how Congolese immigrant parents view mental health and help-seeking within their cultural frame. Although parents may seek professional help, a distrust of mental health services was expressed across both cohorts. This suggests that mental health professionals should acknowledge potential distrust among this population and clarify their role in supporting the mental health of adolescent immigrants. Clinicians should inquire about familial cultural beliefs that are parent- and child-centered and modify their interventions to fit these belief structures. Originality/value This paper addresses the gap in knowledge about mental health perspectives of Sub-Saharan African immigrant populations, specifically those from the DRC.

Collaboration Between GPs and Psychologists: Dissatisfaction from the Psychologists' Perspective-A Cross-Sectional Study.

Collaborative mental health practices in primary care significantly enhances patients' health. Collaboration between general practitioners (GPs) and psychologists could improve non-drug mental care. Little is known of psychologists' perception of GPs and their collaboration. This study aimed to assess the quality of collaboration between GPs and psychologists from the psychologists' perspective and to identify factors associated with satisfactory collaboration. A questionnaire was sent by post to all private psychologists in a region of France in February, 2017. We carried out descriptive and multivariate analysis of factors associated with satisfactory collaboration. The response rate was 38% (n = 434 out of 1128). Collaboration between GPs and psychologists was considered unsatisfactory by 64% (n = 278) of psychologists. The main barriers reported were lack of time, lack of understanding and poor interactions/communication. Sixty-nine percent of psychologists felt that GPs knew little about their work. Psychologists had professional exchanges with an average of three local GPs and received referral information for 12% of new patients. Out of 10 new patients, 2 were referred by a GP.In a multivariate analysis, satisfactory collaboration was significantly associated with the number of GPs psychologists exchanged with (OR 1.29), receipt of referral information (OR 2.18) and a positive assessment of GPs' understanding of psychologists' activity (OR 3.35). Psychologists considered the collaboration between GPs and psychologists as substandard, as well as GPs' knowledge of psychologists' activity. More interactions and better understanding would improve their collaboration.

Digital Games for Coping with Occupational Stress

This paper presents a new proposal for digital game classification. Psychologists to understand digital games in context of coping stress can use this classification. Some approaches and programs meant to cope with stress suggest the use of games to manage stress levels. However, the lack of knowledge of psychologists on digital games and in particular on its characteristics let this choice as a personal issue. Thus, the classification proposed in this paper aims to provide and validate a set of characteristics from digital games that can be associated with the elements of a coping stress strategy. Thus, it is believed that the task of suggesting a game to cope with stress can be more efficient.

Awareness of psychologists' qualifications, professional associations, and registration amongst general medical practitioners, psychologists, and their clients

A sample of 307 respondents consisting of 83 general medical practitioners (GP), 100 patients of medical practitioners (P-GP), 61 psychologists (PSY), and 63 patients of psychologists (P-PSY) were surveyed concerning the factors involved in the selection of a psychologist, and their knowledge and comprehension of psychologists' qualifications, professional associations, and registration requirements. Respondents reported that knowledge of psychologists' specialisation, qualifications, experience, professional membership, and registration were important in selection and referral. Overall 58.3% of respondents did not know the qualifications of the psychologist they were seeing or referring to (P-PSY 68%, GP 76%, PSY 28%). Most patients and professionals reported difficulty in understanding the abbreviated degree titles of psychologists (P-GP 93%, P-PSY 81%, GP 82%, PSY 39%) and few respondents considered that a list of APS-approved degrees were legitimate psychologist qualifications. Similarly, very few respondents were able to comprehend the abbreviations for the names of professional associations to which psychologists frequently belong (P-GP 6%, P-PSY 10%, GP 17%, PSY 43%). All groups expressed a strong preference for psychologists' qualifications and their memberships of professional associations to be provided in plain English (P-GP 94%, P-PSY 79%, GP 92%, PSY 66%). In contrast, virtually all respondents were able to recognise abbreviations for the most common degree titles of a number of other prominent professions (P-GP 92%, P-PSY 93%, GP 99%, PSY 99%). Only a small majority of respondents knew that practising psychologists were required by law to be registered (P-GP 28%, P-PSY 65%, GP 64%, PSY 95%). The implications of the results are discussed in terms of the need for the universities and the Australian Psychological Society to simplify the number and naming of accredited psychology degrees, and the need for more complete information to be made available in plain English to clients, referral agents, registration boards, and health insurance bodies.

Knowledge of and Receptivity to Psychological Treatment in Childhood and Adolescence

Interviewed early elementary school, late elementary school, and high school students to assess age differences in knowledge of and attitudes toward psychologists and psychological treatment. As predicted, knowledge of psychologists' roles and psychotherapeutic practices increased with age. Feelings of nervousness about seeing a psychologist peaked in 6th grade, especially among girls. Most important, older children and adolescents had clearer conceptions of which problems are or are not serious difficulties that are properly treated by psychologists, and their receptivity to help for specific problems varied accordingly. Resistance to the prospect of treatment was most evident when symptoms were nonpsychological in nature or reflected normality or nonconformity rather than pathology.