Mental Health Knowledge Schedule Research Articles

Wellbeing, mental health knowledge and caregiving experiences of siblings of people with psychosis, compared to their peers and parents: an exploratory study.

PurposeThe wellbeing and caregiving experiences of family carers supporting people with psychosis has garnered increasing interest. Evidence indicates that the burden of caregiving can adversely impact on parents’ wellbeing, few studies have investigated whether this is also the case for siblings, who often take on caregiving responsibilities. This exploratory study investigated the wellbeing, mental health knowledge, and appraisals of caregiving in siblings of individuals with psychosis.MethodUsing a cross-sectional design, 90 siblings completed three validated questionnaires: Warwick–Edinburgh Mental Wellbeing Scale (WEMWBS), Mental Health Knowledge Schedule (MAKS), and Experience of Caregiving Inventory (ECI). Data obtained were compared to general population norms and parent-carers’ scores. Multi-variable regression analyses were conducted to examine relationships between questionnaire scores and demographic characteristics including age, sex, birth order, marital status, accommodation and educational level.ResultsSiblings, especially sisters, had significantly poorer mental wellbeing, compared to normative scores. Conversely, they had better mental health knowledge. Siblings and parent-carers had comparable high levels of negative appraisals of caregiving experiences, but siblings reported more satisfaction with personal experiences and relationships. Education level was a significant predictor for better mental health knowledge; there were no other relationships between siblings’ demographic factors and outcomes.ConclusionStudy findings suggest that siblings have overlapping as well as distinct needs, compared to parent-carers. Further research is required to better understand siblings’ experiences so as to inform development of targeted interventions that enhance wellbeing and caregiving capacity.

Training community mental health staff in Guangzhou, China: evaluation of the effect of a new training model.

BackgroundIncreasing numbers of people with mental disorders receive services at primary care in China. The aims of this study are to evaluate impact of a new training course and supervision for community mental health staff to enhance their levels of mental health knowledge and to reduce their stigmatization toward people with mental illness.MethodsA total of 77 community mental health staff from eight regions in Guangzhou in China were recruited for the study.4 regions were randomly allocated to the new training model group, and 4 to the old training model group. Levels of mental health knowledge were measured by purpose-made assessment schedule and by the Mental Health Knowledge Schedule (MAKS). Stigma was evaluated by the Mental Illness: Clinicians’ Attitudes Scale (MICA) and the Reported and Intended Behavior Scale (RIBS). Evaluation questionnaires were given at the beginning of course, at the end, and at 6 month and at 12 month follow-up.ResultsAfter the training period, the 6-month, and the 12-month, knowledge scores of the intervention group were higher than the control group. At 6-month and 12-month follow-up, means scores of MAKS of the intervention group increased more than the control group (both p < 0.05) when age, sex, marriage status, title and time were controlled for. At 6-month follow-up, means scores of MICA of the intervention group decreased more than that of the control group (p < 0.01). At after-training, at 6-months, and at 12-months, mean scores of RIBS of the intervention group increased more than the control (p < 0.01, p < 0.001, p < 0.001) when age, sex, marriage status, title and time were controlled for.ConclusionsCompared with the traditional training course and supervision, the new course improved community mental health staff knowledge of mental disorders, improving their attitudes toward people with mental disorder, and increasing their willingness to have contact with people with mental disorder.

Levels of stigma among community mental health staff in Guangzhou, China.

BackgroundStigma and discrimination are widely experienced by people with mental illness, even in healthcare settings. The purposes of this study were to assess mental health stigma among community mental health staff in Guangzhou, China and in doing so also to assess the psychometric properties of the Reported and Intended Behaviour Scale (RIBS) - Chinese version.MethodsA cross-sectional survey was undertaken among 214 community mental health staff in Guangzhou from September to November, 2013. The Mental Health Knowledge Schedule (MAKS) and RIBS were administered together with the Mental Illness: Clinicians’ Attitudes Scale (MICA) to evaluate staff stigma from the perspective of knowledge, attitudes and behaviour.ResultsThe total scores of RIBS, MAKS and MICA were (11.97 ± 3.41), (16.80 ± 5.39) and (51.69 ± 6.94) respectively. Female staff members were more willing to contact people with mental illness than males (t(212) = −2.85,P = 0.005) and had more knowledge about mental illness (t(212) = −2.28,P = 0.024). The Chinese version of RIBS had good internal consistency (alpha = 0.82), test-retest reliability (r = 0.68,P < 0.001) and adequate convergent validity, as indicated by a significant negative correlation with the Chinese version of MICA(r = −0.43, P < 0.001).ConclusionsOur results show relatively high levels of stigma toward people with mental illness among community mental health staff in Guangzhou, China. There are slightly gender differences in discriminatory behaviours and stigma related knowledge of mental illness among community mental health staff, with female staff in general less stigmatising. Accordingly, anti-stigma programmes should be established among healthcare staff. In addition, the Chinese version of RIBS is a reliable, valid and acceptable measure which can be used to assess the willingness of participants to contact people with mental illness in future anti-stigma campaigns.

Development of a Japanese version of the reported and intended behaviour scale: reliability and validity.

The Reported and Intended Behaviour Scale (RIBS) was developed in the U.K. to measure mental health-related behavior. The current study aimed to evaluate the applicability, and reliability of a Japanese version of the RIBS (RIBS-J) in a Japanese context, and further examine the construct validity of the RIBS-J. The sample included 224 undergraduate and postgraduate students at a Japanese university. Cronbach's alpha was used to assess internal consistency. Pearson's correlation coefficient was used to examine the divergent validity between the RIBS-J and the Mental Health Knowledge Schedule and the convergent validity between the second subscale of the RIBS-J and Japanese version of the Social Distance Scale. Confirmatory factor analysis assessed the goodness of model fit of the RIBS-J. We also examined test-retest reliability with another undergraduate sample (n = 29). Most items exhibited no floor/ceiling effect. High internal consistency (α = 0.83) was reported. The second subscale of the RIBS-J, measuring intended behavior, correlated with the Mental Health Knowledge Schedule (r = 0.33, P < 0.001) and the Japanese version of the Social Distance Scale (r = -0.60, P < 0.001). In addition, confirmatory factor analysis found good model fit for the RIBS-J (χ2 = 41.001, d.f. = 19, P = 0.002, goodness-of-fit index = 0.956, adjusted goodness-of-fit index = 0.916, comparative fit index = 0.955, root mean square error of approximation = 0.072). Overall test-retest reliability (ρc) was 0.71. The RIBS-J is an appropriate and psychometrically robust measure of behavior towards individuals with mental health problems in Japan. Further studies using a community sample could assess the generalizability of our findings.

Responses to Mental Health Stigma Questions: The Importance of Social Desirability and Data Collection Method

To evaluate the impact on the general public of England's Time to Change program to reduce mental health-related stigma and discrimination using newly developed measures of knowledge and intended behaviour regarding people with mental health problems, and an established attitudes scale, and to investigate whether social desirability affects responses to the new measures and test whether this varies according to data collection method. The Mental Health Knowledge Schedule (MAKS) and Reported and Intended Behaviour Scale (RIBS) were administered together with the 13-item version of the Marlowe-Crowne Social Desirability Scale to 2 samples (each n = 196) drawn from the Time to Change mass media campaign target group; one group was interviewed face to face, while the other completed the measures as an online survey. After controlling for other covariates, interaction terms between collection method and social desirability were positive for each instrument. The social desirability score was associated with the RIBS score in the face-to-face group only (β = 0.35, 95% CI 0.14 to 0.57), but not with the MAKS score in either group; however, MAKS scores were more likely to be positive when data were collected face to face (β = 1.53, 95% CI 0.74 to 2.32). Behavioural intentions toward people with mental health problems may be better assessed using online self-complete methods than in-person interviews. The effect of face-to-face interviewing on knowledge requires further investigation.

Development and Psychometric Properties of the Mental Health Knowledge Schedule

Stigma has been conceptualized as comprised of 3 constructs: knowledge (ignorance), attitudes (prejudice), and behaviour (discrimination). We are not aware of a psychometrically tested instrument to assess knowledge about mental health problems among the general public. Our paper presents the results of the development stage and the psychometric properties of the Mental Health Knowledge Schedule (MAKS), an instrument to assess stigma-related mental health knowledge among the general public. We describe the development of the MAKS in addition to 3 studies that were carried out to evaluate the psychometric properties of the MAKS. Adults aged 25 to 45 years in socioeconomic groups: B, C1, and C2 completed the instrument via face-to-face interview (n = 92) and online (n = 403). Internal reliability and test-retest reliability is moderate to substantial. Validity is supported by extensive review by experts (including service users and international experts in stigma research). The lack of a valid outcome measure to assess knowledge is a shortcoming of evaluations of stigma interventions and programs. The MAKS was found to be a brief and feasible instrument for assessing and tracking stigma-related mental health knowledge. This instrument should be used in conjunction with other attitude- and behaviour-related measures.

Hemostatic variables as independent predictors for fetal growth retardation in preeclampsia

Introduction The new channels of communication as social media (e.g. Facebook and Twitter) and the social marketing campaign (i.e. campaign focused on enabling, encouraging and supporting behavioural changes among target audiences) can represent useful strategies to challenge stigma attached to mental disorders. Objectives To evaluate the efficacy of the social marketing campaign of the time to change (SMC-TTC) anti-stigma programme on the target population in England during 2009–2014. Aims To assess the impact of the SMC-TTC anti-stigma programme in terms of: – use of the social media channels; – levels of awareness of the SMC-TTC; – changes in knowledge, attitude, and behaviour related to mental disorders. Methods Participants completed the mental health knowledge schedule (MAKS), the community attitudes toward mental illness (CAMI) and the reported and intended behaviour scale (RIBS), together with an ad-hoc schedule on socio-demographic characteristics. Results In total, 10526 people were interviewed, it was found a growing usage of the SMC-TTC media channels and of the level of awareness of the campaign (P Discussion In the general population, SMC-TTC has been found to be effective in improving attitudes and behaviours towards people with mental disorders. Conclusions Considering these promising results obtained in England, social media can represent the possible way forward for challenging stigma. The future on-going evaluation of the SMC-TTC may further shed light on the essential role of social media in reducing of stigma and discrimination.