Mental Health Care Professionals Research Articles

Building an implementation strategy for community-based rehabilitation for mental health in Colombia.

Scientific evidence indicates that the community-based rehabilitation (CBR) model is recommended for recovery from mental disorders. However, this approach encounters barriers and often lacks implementation strategies. The aim of this study is to create a strategy for the implementation of CBR for mental health in Colombia through the identification of barriers and facilitators, together with the expected outcomes, from the perspective of mental health decision-makers in Colombia. This study adopts a qualitative descriptive approach, using focus group data collection methods and thematic analysis to code and analyze the data. A total of 208 individuals participated in the study, including mental health decision-makers and health care professionals. Intersectoral collaboration, contextualization, financial resources, and community commitment and autonomy were identified as barriers and facilitators. The element that was considered a priority for successful implementation was the contextualization of strategies. CBR needs to be strengthened through implementation science if these strategies are to be successfully developed and implemented in various contexts. http://links.lww.com/IJEBH/A210.

Adolescents Identify Modifiable Community-Level Barriers to Accessing Mental Health and Addiction Services in a Rural Canadian Town: A Survey Study.

Adolescents are particularly vulnerable to inadequate provision of mental health and addictions care, as services have been traditionally conceptualized to serve the needs of children or adults. Additionally, rural communities have been largely excluded from research investigating mental healthcare access and exhibit unique barriers that warrant targeted interventions. Finally, perspectives from the target population will be most important when understanding how to optimize adolescent mental health and addictions care. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to identify what adolescents in a rural town perceive as barriers to accessing mental health services. We conducted a cross-sectional survey study with high school students to generate ranked lists of the top perceived individual-level, community-level, and overall barriers. A total of 243 high school students responded to the survey. Perceived barriers were predominantly at the community level. Overall, the top barriers reported were a lack of awareness and education regarding mental health, resources, and the nature of treatment. Students who had previously accessed mental health services identified primary barriers related to mental health professionals, whereas students who had not accessed care reported fear and uncertainty as primary barriers. Modifiable community-level factors related to (1) mental health literacy and (2) mental healthcare professionals were identified by adolescents as the main perceived barriers to accessing mental health and addiction services in a rural town. The findings of this preliminary study should inform intervention strategies and further rigorous research for this traditionally underserved target population.

Exploring heterogeneity in PTSD symptoms and associated predictors and outcomes in Afghanistan veterans: A latent profile analysis

ABSTRACT Research on posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) typically focuses on diagnosis or symptom severity, however, this overlooks the variety of symptom patterns that exist. Latent profile analysis was used to explore PTSS profiles in a sample of Norwegian Afghanistan veterans (n = 4052, 91.7% males). Multinomial logistic regression analyses were conducted to examine predictors and outcomes associated with PTSS profile membership. Three profiles emerged: Low Symptoms profile (85%); High Numbing and Arousal profile (13%); and High Symptoms profile (2%). Being female, lower number of deployments, barriers to disclose war-related experiences, and higher number of potentially morally injurious events (PMIEs) were associated with belonging to the High Symptoms profile compared to the High Numbing and Arousal (Male gender: OR = 0.37, p < .05; Number of deployments: OR = 0.68, p < .05; Barriers to disclose: OR = 1.39, p < .001; PMIEs: OR = 1.15. p < .05), or Low Symptoms profile (Male gender: OR = 0.36, p < .05; Number of deployments: OR = 0.67, p < .01; Barriers to disclose: OR = 1.80, p < .001; PMIEs: OR = 1.32. p < .001). Participants in the High Symptoms profile had the highest probability of mental health service use (0.37) and endorsing suicidal ideation (0.38), compared to the two other profiles (p < .01). Participants in the High Numbing and Arousal profile had a higher probability of seeking professional mental health care (0.17), endorsing suicidal ideation (0.16), and reporting more suicide attempts compared to the Low Symptom profile (0.02 vs. 0.00, p < .001). These findings highlight the importance of considering the heterogeneity of PTSS profiles and understanding the predictors and responses of individuals who exhibit elevated PTSS symptoms.

Assessing the perceived value of a user-led educational intervention to support recovery in a Swedish psychiatric organization: A qualitative case study.

Many people with mental health issues recover and re-establish their identity and find hope and meaning in life, irrespective of symptom burden. Recovery can be supported through learning and education, aiming at strengthening self-management and coping skills. Such education offered by peers with lived experience is rare and scarcely reported. The aim was to assess the perceived value of an educational intervention, called the Patient School (PS), organized within a psychiatry organization by employed patient peers with lived experience. A qualitative case study based on interviews with people with mental health issues (n = 8), peer-organizers (n = 4) and healthcare professionals (n = 4), and documents such as schedules and educational materials were used. First, the interviews were transcribed and analyzed using inductive conventional content analysis. Second, the findings were synthesized into a programme theory, illustrated in a logic model. The perceived value of the PS was related to the willingness of peer-organizers to share their own experiences, a sense of belonging, sharing with like-minded and new knowledge, practical skills, roles and attitudes acquired. These experiences were empowering, decreased stigma and reassured user participants that one's identity is not defined by mental health issues. This increased self-confidence paves the way for increased self-management and creates a potential for a more efficient use of healthcare services. We conclude that this PS, organized within a psychiatry organization by salaried peers, achieved the same positive results as those reported in the literature and showed the value of having peer-organizers being part of the staff. This research was performed in a partnership between academic researchers and persons with user experience of psychiatric services, engaged in the educational intervention in the focus of the study. The research plan was co-designed, and the analysis of the data collected was performed in collaboration. The participation of the co-researchers with user experience gave the project team access to the study site, provided the team with insights into to study context and contributed with an understanding promoting the interpretation of the findings.

Attitudes towards seeking psychological help among community dwelling older adults enrolled in primary care in Chile

BackgroundDepression and anxiety are common mental disorders among older adults, but they are frequently underdiagnosed. Attitudes towards seeking professional mental health care is one of the barriers to access to treatment. This study was aimed at assessing the attitudes towards seeking psychological help among older adults who are enrolled in primary care in Chile, and to determine the associated factors.MethodsThis cross-sectional study recruited 233 primary care users aged 65 or more years. The Attitudes Towards Seeking Professional Psychological Help was used. Reliability and factor analysis of this scale were carried out. The average scores of the scale and factors were calculated and compared, by selected variables. Multivariate linear regression was estimated to determine factors associated with attitudes towards seeking psychological help.ResultsThree factors were identified in the attitudes towards seeking psychological help: confidence in psychologists, coping alone with emotional problems, and predisposition to seek psychological help. On average, participants had a favorable attitude towards seeking psychological help, compared with previous research. Lower level of education, and risk of social isolation were inversely associated with these attitudes.ConclusionStrategies to improve mental health literacy and social connection among older adults, could have an impact on factors that mediate the access to mental health care, such as attitudes towards seeking psychological help, among people who have a lower level of education or are at risk of social isolation.

La téléconsultation, une modalité prometteuse pour les programmes psychoéducatifs destinés aux parents d’enfants ayant un trouble du spectre de l’autisme

The disclosure to parents of a diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) for a child has an impact on their mental health and well-being. Programs have been established to support them. One of these programs, “Beyond ASD, parenting skills within my reach!”, created in Quebec, has been tested and validated on Quebec and French populations. So far, the evaluation of the effects of the program on a Canadian population showed interesting results regarding knowledge about ASD, parents’ use of strategies, locus of control, and parental stress, but these variations and positive changes were also observed in a control group with access to another form of intervention. The preliminary results for a French population indicated that parents appeared to be significantly less stressed, and they improved certain areas of their quality of life. These results showed the need to offer support to parents after they were given a diagnosis of autism for their child as a post-diagnosis proposal. Nevertheless, parents are often overwhelmed after their child's diagnosis, because of the accumulation of work, school and specific interventions for their child. French parents also experience difficulties due to transportation problems in the Île-de-France region. The COVID-19 sanitary restrictions only served to heighten these difficulties. Therefore, professional mental healthcare providers aimed to pursue offering a program to parents following the diagnosis of their child in spite of these constraints. Moreover, recent studies have demonstrated the efficacy of teleconsultation for healthcare treatments. The objectives of the present study were to quantitatively assess parental satisfaction and their perception of change in their parenting skills after they participated in the program delivered through teleconsultation, and how they qualitatively expressed themselves about the advantages and limits of the teleconsultation modality. We also sought to be able to determine to which type of parents this program could be recommended, the expected benefits for parents in terms of shared experience, learning and exchanges, and finally to evaluate the program itself as a post-diagnosis proposal. The study involved fourteen parents of children with ASD: eleven French and three French Canadians. The quantitative results showed an average satisfaction of 95.36% and an acceptability of 89.46% of the total score; the qualitative results indicated the satisfaction of parents who participated in the teleconsultation program in France and Quebec. They are consistent with the results obtained in face-to-face sessions. The results show the benefits for parents who used the teleconsultation program, while allowing a greater number of people to participate. This preliminary study of the feasibility and acceptability of the teleconsultation modality for parents of children with ASD makes it possible to consider a validation of this new modality. The quantitative and qualitative data demonstrated that parents reported acquiring new skills at a crucial period for them when they felt the increased needs and challenges in their perceived competencies to deal with self-efficacy and stress compared to other parents. The results confirmed parental interest in psychoeducational programs after their child had been given an ASD diagnosis. They were satisfied with the relationship they had with the professionals and other parents in the teleconsultation program. The results also indicated they felt respected and understood. The use of teleconsultation didn’t seem to interfere with these feelings and helped them during a difficult personal time. The limits of the present study include a possible social bias, a limited number of subjects, and a possible inequality in the participants’ ability to use digital media. Whereas diagnosis and parental intervention represent a societal stake, we need to adapt programs involving new modalities in order to reach the largest number of parents possible, and we need to remain mindful to follow recommendations and parental feedback regarding the necessity of maintaining informal time to encourage exchanges between parents. New challenges seem to be raised and considered for future implementation.

Youth Suicide Attempts from the Perspective of Healthcare Professionals: A Qualitative Study, a Case of Turkey

This study was aimed at determining why youth attempt suicides, what the causes of such attempts are, and what methods are used in suicide attempts from the perspective of emergency medicine and mental healthcare professionals. Healthcare professionals provide first aid and treatment for young people who have attempted suicide. In this study, the qualitative research method and phenomenological design were used. In the interviews, a semi-structured interview form was used. According to the participating healthcare professionals’ conclusions at the end of the study, youth is a trial and error period, young people do not always aim to die, they may attempt suicide for manipulative purposes or to call for help, and the method used in the suicide attempt may vary according to the purpose and sex. Healthcare professionals who participated in this study clearly stated that gender-based expectations cause suicide attempts in both male and female youth (both male and female youth to attempt suicide). It is recommended that in future studies, the focus should be on the opinions and experiences of all professionals working in the field of suicide attempts, and that gender-based experiences that may lead youth to attempt suicide should be further addressed.

​​Cultivating Care​: Notes from a Mental Health Organisation in India

This Field Note reflects on the ethics and work of professional mental health care in the context of a non-profit counselling organisation in the city of Bengaluru, India. During fieldwork, having conversations with the counsellors and attending their group meetings brought the practices of cultivating care to the forefront. Deep listening and empathy are central to the care work of counselling. Yet these do not simply emerge from spontaneous feelings of love and compassion. Rather, they are cultivated through systematic individual and collective work. In this Field Note I focus on the collective modalities of cultivating care in terms of learning how to listen to the unsaid, recognise one’s ‘biases’, and establish the limits of care. These constitute the ethics of care work.

Translation and Validation of the Dutch Version of the Spiritual Care Competence Questionnaire (SCCQ-NL)

The importance of spirituality in the treatment of mental illness is increasingly acknowledged, but mental healthcare professionals often feel they lack specific competence. An instrument is missing to quantify the spiritual care competence of mental healthcare professionals in the Netherlands. The aim of this study was thus to translate the Spiritual Care Competence Questionnaire (SCCQ) into Dutch and validate it for use in mental healthcare. After translation, the SCCQ-NL was distributed in a cross-sectional design among 3497 healthcare professionals in two mental healthcare institutions (MHIs) in the Netherlands. In the sample of 730 completed questionnaires, exploratory factor analysis revealed seven factors: perception of spiritual needs competencies, team spirit, spiritual self-awareness, documentation competencies, empowerment and proactive opening competencies, knowledge about other religions, and conversation competencies. One item was deleted during the process. Internal consistency for the 25-item SCCQ-NL subscales is sufficient with Cronbach’s alpha ranging from 0.64 to 0.81. Conversation competencies and perception of spiritual needs scored highest in the sample, next to knowledge about other religions and empowerment competencies, while spiritual self-awareness, team spirit and documentation competencies scored the lowest. Small but significant differences in several subscale scores were found for profession, identifying oneself as a believer, practicing prayer and/or meditation, age and working years. The SCCQ-NL can be used for the assessment of spiritual care competencies and for the planning and evaluation of training and improvement strategies.

Variation in opinions on coercion use among mental healthcare professionals: a questionnaire study

Introduction Even if coercive measures are widely applied in psychiatry and have numerous well-known drawbacks, there is limited known on the agreement among mental healthcare professionals’ opinions on their use. In a questionnaire study using standardized scenarios, we investigated variation in staff opinions on coercion. Methods In a web-based survey distributed to staff at three psychiatry hospitals, respondents were asked to consider if and what coercion to use by introducing two hypothetical scenarios involving involuntary psychiatric admission and in-hospital coercion. Results One hundred thirty-two out of 601 invited staff members responded to the survey (Response Rate = 22%). There was large variation in participating staff members’ opinions on how to best manage critical situations and what coercive measures were warranted. In the first scenario, 57% of respondents (n = 76) believed that the patient should be involuntarily admitted to hospital while the remaining respondents believed that the situation should be managed otherwise. Regarding the second scenario, 62% of respondents responded that some in-hospital coercion should be used. The majority of respondents believed that colleagues would behave similarly (60%) or with a tendency towards more coercion use (34%). Male gender, being nursing staff and having less coercion experience predicted being less inclined to choose involuntary hospital admission. Conclusion There is a high degree of variation in coercion use. This study suggests that this variation persists despite staff members being confronted with the same standardized situations. There is a need for evidence-based further guidance to minimize coercion in critical mental healthcare situations.

Barriers to mental health service utilisation among medical students in Saudi Arabia.

Medical students experience high levels of stress, often due to academic demands, which can adversely affect their mental health. However, they frequently hesitate to seek and underutilise available mental health services. This study aimed to assess the perceived need for mental health services and identify the barriers to seeking help among undergraduate medical students. This cross-sectional study recruited 480 undergraduate medical students from two main universities in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia. Data were collected through an online, self-administered questionnaire that encompassed sections on sociodemographic details, the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9), perceptions about the necessity for professional mental health care, service utilisation over the past year, and the Barriers to Access to Care Evaluation (BACE-III). The study found that 33.6% of the participants showed signs of depression. Even though 42.5% expressed a perceived need for mental health services, only 16.2% actually utilised these services in the previous 12 months. In terms of barriers, attitudinal-related barriers received the highest mean score, followed by stigma- and instrumental-related barriers. Notably, students who had previously experienced academic failure and those who had sought mental health services were more inclined to report stigma- and instrumental-related barriers. Mental health challenges are notably prevalent among undergraduate medical students. Although there is a significant perceived need for professional mental health intervention, the actual utilisation rate remains low. The primary obstacles to seeking assistance are attitudinal and stigma-related barriers.

Social support and psychotherapy outcomes for international students in university/college counseling centers

Objective: To explore the relationship between international students’ social support at intake and international student distress at end of treatment. Participants: Data was collected from participants (n = 40,085) from 90 United States universities using the Center for Collegiate Mental Health (CCMH) database. Methods: Participants completed measures of psychological distress and perceived social support. Using multilevel modeling, we predicted participants’ distress at end of treatment by international student status, social support, race, and length of therapy. Results: We found that international students who reported lower social support at intake ended treatment with higher levels of psychological distress when distress at intake was controlled compared to United States peers. Conclusions: Understanding the significance of social support for international students can help to inform mental healthcare professionals’ approach to psychotherapy.

The impact of the COVID-19 measures on the lives of unaccompanied refugee minors

Background:Recent research found that the COVID-19 pandemic and the measures to contain it had a largely negative impact on well-being. In addition, a vast number of studies have shown significantly increased levels of traumatization and behavioural problems amongst URM, pointing out the vulnerability of this population. This study aimed at evaluating both the adaptive functioning and life satisfaction of URM, as well as the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on life satisfaction. Methods:101 URM completed the questionnaires. Results: URM had higher levels of trauma symptoms (t(100) = 8.69; p &lt; .001) and more behavioural problems (t(100) = 6.83; p &lt; .001) as compared to Belgian peers. Nevertheless, we did find higher levels of resilience (t(100) = 2.33; p &lt; .05) amongst our sample. In addition, the COVID-19 pandemic negatively impacted both experiences and satisfaction across all life domains. Conclusions: These findings all point out that the development of URM is at risk even after arrival in the host country and that the likelihood of mental health problems is high also in the host country. Offering professional mental healthcare and facilitating social bonds and integration is important. In addition, given the negative impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on wellbeing, extra attention and support should go out to more vulnerable populations, such as URM, during times of (inter)national crisis.

Exploring mental health stigma among Indonesian healthcare students towards individuals with mental illnesses: a qualitative study

ABSTRACT Background The social disapproval or stigma surrounding mental illness contributes to the postponement of individuals seeking assistance and frequently undermines therapeutic alliances between mental illness sufferers and health care professionals. Aims This study explored perceptions and attitudes towards individuals with mental illness among college healthcare students in Indonesia. Methods This study used a qualitative method. Twenty five students enrolled in six healthcare programs were interviewed using a semi structured format. The data analysis adopted a thematic analysis. Results Our thematic analysis generated four main themes: (1) general perceptions of mental health and mental illness; (2) knowledge about mental illness; (3) mental health stigma; and (4) mental health stigma campaigns. Conclusions The participants exhibited positive perceptions of mentally ill people. Students understood mental health, and they exhibited positive attitudes toward mentally ill people. Some students have stigma and lack of confidence to assist those who have mental illness. Further efforts are required to acquaint students with mental health issues and facilitate their interaction with mentally ill individuals. Anti-stigma campaigns are required to combat the pervasive stigmatization of individuals with mental illness. It is recommended to conduct a more extensive study about the stigma that students encounter in relation to mentally ill individuals.

Supported decision-making interventions in mental healthcare: A systematic review of current evidence and implementation barriers.

There is a growing momentum around the world to foster greater opportunities for the involvement of mental health service users in their care and treatment planning. In-principle support for this aim is widespread across mental healthcare professionals. Yet, progress in mental health services towards this objective has lagged in practice. We conducted a systematic review of quantitative, qualitative and mixed-method research on interventions to improve opportunities for the involvement of mental healthcare service users in treatment planning, to understand the current research evidence and the barriers to implementation. Seven databases were searched and 5137 articles were screened. Articles were included if they reported on an intervention for adult service users, were published between 2008 and October 2023 and were in English. Evidence in the 140 included articles was synthesised according to the JBI guidance on Mixed Methods Systematic Reviews. Research in this field remains exploratory in nature, with a wide range of interventions investigated to date but little experimental replication. Overarching barriers to shared and supported decision-making in mental health treatment planning were (1) Organisational (resource limitations, culture barriers, risk management priorities and structure); (2) Process (lack of knowledge, time constraints, health-related concerns, problems completing and using plans); and (3) Relationship barriers (fear and distrust for both service users and clinicians). On the basis of the barriers identified, recommendations are made to enable the implementation of new policies and programs, the designing of new tools and for clinicians seeking to practice shared and supported decision-making in the healthcare they offer. This systematic review has been guided at all stages by a researcher with experience of mental health service use, who does not wish to be identified at this point in time. The findings may inform organisations, researchers and practitioners on implementing supported decision-making, for the greater involvement of people with mental ill health in their healthcare.

Validation of an instrument to guide the implementation of strategies for mental health care in Colombia.

To validate the implementation drivers scale among first-level mental health care professionals in Colombia. The scale is designed as a tool to guide the implementation of strategies that effectively reduce gaps in mental health care. The Active Implementation Framework was adopted, which is a widely used model for measuring implementation. The participants included 380 individuals (55.56% men) - 349 health personnel trained in the Mental Health Gap Action Programme (mhGAP) and 31 territorial personnel in charge of planning mental health strategies at the territorial level in Colombia. To assess the critical dimensions of mhGAP implementation, we developed a scale of 18 items based on the active implementation framework. We conducted content validity assessments and exploratory factor analysis to evaluate the scale. We used the Organizational Readiness for Knowledge Translation scale as a comparative standard. The implementation drivers scale identified four dimensions: system enablers for implementation, accessibility of the strategy, adaptability and acceptability, and strategy training and supervision. These dimensions had Cronbach alpha values of 0.914, 0.868, 0.927, and 0.725, respectively, indicating high internal consistency. In addition, all dimensions demonstrated adequate correlation with the Organizational Readiness for Knowledge Translation scale. The implementation drivers scale effectively determines the adaptability and implementation of various components of mental health programs, particularly those focusing on community-based approaches and primary care settings. As such, this scale can contribute to the more effective implementation of strategies outlined by global and local political frameworks, thus improving mental health care.

Psychometric evaluation of the Chinese version of the attitudes, subjective norms, perceived behavioural control and intention to pursue a career in mental health nursing scale

AimTo adapt culturally and assess the reliability and validity of the Attitudes, Subjective Norms, Perceived Behavioural Control and Intention to Pursue a Career in Mental Health Nursing (ASPIRE) scale among Chinese nursing students. BackgroundMental health nurses make up a substantial proportion of the mental health workforce and are pivotal for improving access to professional mental health care. However, a shortage of mental health nurses persists across various countries. Although new nursing graduates have the potential to alleviate the labor shortages, there is currently no standardized tool specifically designed to measure nursing students' intentions to pursue a career in mental health nursing in China. DesignA quantitative and cross-sectional design. MethodsFollowing email authorization from the author, the Chinese version of the ASPIRE scale was translated following the cross-cultural adaptation process guidelines established by the American Association of Orthopedic Surgeons (AAOS). A questionnaire survey was conducted among 540 nursing students from three universities in Hunan Province from April 2023 to October 2023. Nine experts were invited to evaluate the content equivalence of each item. Item analysis, exploratory factor analysis, confirmatory factor analysis, internal consistency reliability and test-retest reliability were used to test reliability and validity. ResultsThe Chinese version of the ASPIRE scale retained 14 items and it has high content validity. Pearson correlation analysis revealed a statistically significant difference in the correlation between the total scores of the items (P < 0.001). Exploratory factor analysis indicated that the one-factor solution explained 65.82% of the total variance and confirmatory factor analysis results indicated a good fit (CMIN/DF = 2.64, RMSEA = 0.079, GFI = 0.908, IFI = 0.964, SRMR = 0.0326). The Cronbach's alpha coefficient for the scale was 0.958 and the test-retest coefficient was 0.783. ConclusionThe Chinese version of the ASPIRE scale has great reliability and validity and can be used for assessing Chinese nursing students' intention to pursue a career in mental health nursing.

Suicidality associated with decreased help-seeking attitudes in college students: Implications for identifying and treating at-risk students

Suicide is a leading cause of death in college-aged youth, yet only half of all college students report engaging in professional mental health help-seeking. We examined how the various aspects of young adults’ suicidality were associated with their openness to pursue professional mental health care in the future (i.e., “future help-seeking intentions”). Multilevel binary logistic regressions were tested in a sample of 24,446 U.S. college undergraduates with suicidality. The moderating effect of past service utilization on future help-seeking intentions was also tested. Strikingly, young people reporting past-year suicidal ideation, past-year suicidal attempts, and self-reported likelihood of a future suicide attempt demonstrated decreased likelihood of future help-seeking intentions, while those reporting prior diagnosis of a mental health condition and/or past service utilization demonstrated an increased likelihood. Past service utilization also significantly moderated the effect of suicide disclosure, such that youth reporting prior disclosure and prior professional treatment-seeking demonstrated greater odds of future help-seeking intentions relative to those who had disclosed suicidality but never utilized professional services. In order to mitigate the mental health crisis facing youth, further exploration is necessary to understand why students with suicidality do not report openness to seek help. It is also imperative to develop and implement novel strategies to identify at-risk students, understand and alleviate relevant barriers to treatment, and promote positive help-seeking attitudes and behaviors.

Collaborative care model versus usual care for the management of musculoskeletal and co-existing mental health conditions: a randomised feasibility mixed-methods study

ObjectiveThis study aimed to assess the feasibility of a future trial comparing the collaborative care model with usual care for patients with musculoskeletal conditions and co-existing symptoms of anxiety and...

The quality traits of artificial intelligence operations in predicting mental healthcare professionals’ perceptions: A case study in the psychotherapy division

&lt;p&gt;As advancements in healthcare technologies continue to emerge, the integration of AI-Technology has brought about significant transformations in various healthcare sectors. While substantial advancements have been made in applying AI to enhance physical health, its implementation in the field of mental health is still in its early stages. This descriptive study aims to address this gap by exploring the perspectives of mental health professionals (MHPs) on the acceptance and utilization of AI technology. Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) was utilized to assess MHPs’ attitudes and beliefs towards AI implementation in psychotherapeutic practices. The sample was compromised of 349 MHPs. The findings reveal the task characteristic (TC) domain as the most influential domain, followed by Performance expectancy (PE), Behavioural intentions (BI), Personal innovativeness in IT (PT), Social influence (SI), Effort expectancy (EE), Perceived substitution crisis (PSC), Technology characteristic (TECH), and Initial trust (IT). The study also identifies statistically significant differences in AI usage based on gender variable, with females demonstrating a higher level of AI usage in comparison to males. Furthermore, the study highlights diverse applications of AI in the field of mental health, including AI-assisted assessments (AAA), chatbots for psychotherapy support (CPS), and data analytics for personalized treatment recommendations (DAPTR). By incorporating mental healthcare professionals’ (MHPs) perspectives, this research significantly contributes to a comprehensive understanding of the acceptance and utilization of AI technology in psychotherapy. The findings offer valuable insights into MHPs’ perceptions, concerns, and perceived advantages associated with integrating AI technology within clinical settings in the field of mental health.&lt;/p&gt;