Mental Health Literature Research Articles

Canadian Provincial and Territorial Correctional Worker Mental Health and Well-Being Study (CWMH): Navigating Practical and Unanticipated Methodological Challenges

Previous research assessing correctional worker (CW) mental health has seldom assessed for differences based on jurisdiction or diverse occupational categories. The current study was designed to provide a nuanced quantitative examination of mental health disorder prevalence and related problems among CWs and to qualitatively explore the varying social contexts surrounding CW well-being. We reflect on how we overcame unanticipated challenges and disruptions (e.g., technology, COVID-19 pandemic) throughout the design, launch, and analysis of the survey, and illustrate how our national study, driven by a rigorous methodological approach and collaborative research design, builds on the extant CW mental health and wellness literature.

Mental Health Crisis: An Evolutionary Concept Analysis.

The term 'mental health crisis' is a widely used concept in clinical practice and research, appearing prominently in mental health literature across healthcare and social science disciplines. Within these contexts, the term is frequently either left undefined or defined rather narrowly, confined to clinical observations or guidelines targeted at healthcare providers and negating the multifaceted nature of crisis as described by those with lived experience. Therefore, the aim of this paper is to explore the characteristics of and provide a conceptual definition for the concept of 'mental health crisis'. Rodgers' method of evolutionary concept analysis was employed and 34 articles, ranging from 1994 to 2021 and a variety of disciplines, were analysed. The results highlighted the contrast between clinically oriented surrogate terms and related concepts and those used by individuals with lived crisis experience. Antecedents of crisis included underlying vulnerabilities, relational dysfunction, collapse of life structure and struggles with activities of daily living. The concept's attributes encompassed the temporality of crisis, signs and symptoms of crisis, functional decline and crisis in family and caregivers. Finally, the consequences comprised looking inward for help, looking outward for help, and opportunities and dangers. This concept analysis serves as a foundational step in understanding 'mental health crisis' and its various dimensions, facilitating more nuanced discussions and interventions in the realm of mental healthcare.

A step towards community inclusion for individuals experiencing mental health challenges: promoting social inclusion and social recovery through physical activity

Purpose After initially positioning this paper within the broader mental health recovery literature, this paper aims to highlight the role that physical activity can play in promoting social inclusion and social recovery for those experiencing mental health challenges. Design/methodology/approach This conceptual paper draws together the limited, but growing, research on how physical activity can facilitate improved social inclusion and benefit an individual’s recovery. Findings For individuals suffering with mental health challenges, not being able to exercise their right to inclusion is concerning from a recovery perspective, because experiencing social inclusion is recognised as a facilitator of recovery. Initial research has demonstrated by embracing community inclusion and supporting initiatives such as physical activity programs, mental health services can better facilitate individuals’ journeys towards social inclusion and social recovery. Research limitations/implications Future research should appreciate the interplay between inclusion, recovery and physical activity. Collaborating with individuals with lived experience, peer mentors and social prescribing teams to explore options for physical activity within local communities fosters empowerment, social inclusion and ensures interventions align with individuals’ preferences and needs. Practical implications Practitioners in health service and community settings should recognise the wide-ranging benefits of physical activity for individuals with mental health challenges, especially in terms of helping their social inclusion and social recovery. Originality/value This paper is unique in synthesising the mental health literature relating to social inclusion, social recovery and physical activity. Initial findings show promise, but more attention is needed to explore the relationship between these elements and how individuals experiencing mental health challenges can be supported using physical activity.

“I Could Feel His Sadness and Disdain as He Told Me”: A Qualitative Analysis of Black Women’s Accounts of Vicarious Racism

Prior research suggests that vicarious (i.e., indirect or second-hand) racism is harmful to psychological health; moreover, the psychological impacts of vicarious racism may be especially distressing for Black women. Nevertheless, because much of the vicarious racism and mental health literature has been quantitative, the broader contexts in which vicarious racism occurs are poorly understood. Although qualitative literature has explored vicarious racism, it has focused on Black mothers and their children’s experiences of racism. We build on both literatures to analyze vicarious racism accounts reported by Black women in early adulthood. Using data from 32 respondents, the study provides greater context for experiences of vicarious racism (e.g., who are the targets and perpetrators, settings in which vicarious racism occurred), reports what happens in the “aftermath” of vicarious racism, and documents psycho-emotional responses that expand beyond traditional mental health indicators (e.g., major depression). Implications of findings for vicarious racism research are discussed.

Can Black Critical Theory sit with Mad Studies in education in Britain?

ABSTRACT This article draws on the scholarship of Black Critical Theory in education. It enriches this literature by provocatively commanding scholarly and methodological space for Mad Studies to explore, understand and address, distressed Black pupils’ experiences of anti-Black sanism in education in Britain. Currently limited by the proliferation of mental health literature that too often decontextualises and pathologises Black suffering outside of anti-Black contexts and dominates our understanding of mental health, illness, treatment and care, this article outlines the necessity of maddening Black Critical Theory to advance hermeneutic and testimonial justice to those pupils living mad while Black.

From individual resilience to collective response: reframing ecological emotions as catalysts for holistic environmental engagement.

The ongoing international study on the mental health implications of climate change has prompted a deeper exploration of ecological emotions such as eco-anxiety, eco-worry and eco-grief, which are associated with environmental degradation and the escalating climate crisis. Although psychological and mental health literature has mainly presented preliminary conceptual analyses, the understanding of ecological emotions remains unclear. This narrative review aims to clarify the definition, highlight precipitating factors, and outline the effects of ecological emotions on mental health, emphasizing the need for thorough research to shift the nonclinical intervention approach from merely promoting individual resilience to encouraging collective engagement. Our analysis of the literature reveals that the existing theoretical framework, which predominantly focuses on bolstering individual resilience, provides only temporary relief for acute symptoms without addressing the foundational social and environmental factors that trigger these ecological emotions. We conclude that it is crucial to overcome the limitations of Western anthropocentrism's human-to-human interaction approach and embrace the unity of humans and nature to effectively manage the increasing ecological emotions. This perspective draws insights from the holistic and collective wisdom of indigenous cultures and traditional Chinese philosophy, offering a potential pathway toward maintaining a sustainable emotional balance amid the worsening global ecological turmoil.

Experience and expertise: Could a Person's Experience of Mental Illness Be the Basis of Professional Expertise?

Abstract: The title Expert-by-Experience has been used frequently in mental health literature and policy making in recent years. The implication is that by virtue of suffering from a mental disorder, the person has access to a unique form of knowledge that would separate them from others, affording them the status of an expert. In this article, the concept is put under philosophical scrutiny. I use Wittgenstein's Private Language Argument and Ryle's work on introspection to show that personal experience could not be a basis for expertise. Personal experience and introspection could not be a basis for knowledge underpinning expertise.

Too depressed and anxious to speak up: The relationships between weekly fluctuations in mental health and silence at work.

While it is widely acknowledged that some employees are more prone to silence than others, emerging research suggests that silence is much more dynamic than previously indicated, as even the most vocal employee will withhold input in some situations. However, given scant empirical attention to intraindividual fluctuations in silence, several important questions remain regarding its etiological antecedents, the mechanisms underlying such effects, and potential factors mitigating them. We respond by integrating the silence and mental health literature to consider how fluctuations in employees' experiences of depression and anxiety relate to fluctuations in silence via distinct silence motives. Specifically, we propose that employees are likely to engage in silence while experiencing episodes of depression because depressive symptomology shifts perceptions toward voice being pointless (i.e., ineffectual silence motive). Likewise, we propose that employees are likely to engage in silence while experiencing flare-ups of anxiety because anxious symptomology shifts perceptions toward voice being dangerous (i.e., defensive silence motive). Finally, we argue that voice endorsement attenuates these relationships by interrupting the link between silence motives and behaviors, such that employees experiencing heightened ineffectual and defensive silence motives are less likely to remain silent during weeks in which they experience high voice endorsement. We find support for these predictions via an experience sampling methodology study conducted with 136 employees across 4 weeks. We discuss how these results enhance theoretical clarity on the dynamic links between mental health and silence and offer insights into how organizations can counteract intrapersonal variations in silence. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

The role of sociodemographic factors on the acceptability of digital mental health care: A scoping review protocol.

Many individuals experiencing mental health complications face barriers when attempting to access services. To bridge this care gap, digital mental health innovations (DMHI) have proven to be valuable additions to in-person care by enhancing access to care. An important aspect to consider when evaluating the utility of DMHI is perceived acceptability. However, it is unclear whether diverse sociodemographic groups differ in their degree of perceived acceptability of DMHI. This scoping review aims to synthesize evidence on the role of sociodemographic factors (e.g., age, gender) in the perceived acceptability of DMHI among individuals seeking mental health care. Guided by the JBI Manual of Evidence Synthesis, chapter on Scoping Review, a search strategy developed according to the PCC framework will be implemented in MEDLINE and then adapted to four electronic databases (i.e., CINAHL, MEDLINE, PsycINFO, and EMBASE). The study selection strategy will be piloted by two reviewers on subsets of 30 articles until agreement among reviewers reaches 90%, after which one reviewer will complete the remaining screening of titles and abstracts. The full-text screening, data extraction strategy, and charting tool will be completed by one reviewer and then validated by a second member of the team. Main findings will be presented using tables and figures. This scoping review will examine the extent to which sociodemographic factors have been considered in the digital mental health literature. Also, the proposed review may help determine whether certain populations have been associated with a lower level of acceptability within the context of digital mental health care. This investigation aims to favor equitable access to DMHI among diverse populations.

Conceptualising Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara mental health beliefs

ABSTRACT Objectives Very little is known about how Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara describe and explain mental health from their own perspectives without resorting to Western frameworks. This study used a social contextual research approach to describe how Anangu talk about behaviours that are called “mental illness” in Western contexts, their explanations about the contexts they believe shape these behaviours, and how Anangu support people who exhibit them. Method Seven senior Anangu were repeat interviewed between 1–2 hours by an Anangu researcher for a combined total time of 31 hours in a “yarning” conversational approach. Interviews were analysed using a thematic analysis approach to explore the contextual features giving rise to mental health behaviours. Results Results indicated that in the Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara Lands there are complex interactions between fundamental ancient beliefs of cultural processes and the changing Western influences since colonisation, and examples are given of each of these. The same looking Western behaviours of “mental health” could arise from alternative traditional contexts. Conclusions This research fills a gap and adds to the very small amount of Anangu mental health literature by providing an extensive overview of the mental health behaviours from the perspectives of Anangu themselves. It also shows how there can be gaps in research done without Indigenous researchers onboard.

Incorporating Mental Health Literacy Into the Sport Management Curriculum

Mental health is an emerging area of interest in sport, but there is a paucity of educational initiatives in sport management curricula to train the next generation of sport managers to address the mental health needs of athletes, a type of knowledge that the mental health literature operationalizes as mental health literacy. One goal of accrediting bodies such as the Commission on Sport Management Accreditation is for excellence in sport management education; thus, due to the changing landscape of sport, sport management curricula should incorporate mental health literacy competencies. This educational research review provides justification for the inclusion of mental health literacy competencies in sport management curricula and accreditation standards, as well as pedagogical strategies for implementation.

THE BURGEONING BURDEN OF PERINATAL MENTAL HEALTH IN LOWER MIDDLE-INCOME COUNTRIES

THE BURGEONING BURDEN OF PERINATAL MENTAL HEALTH IN LOWER MIDDLE-INCOME COUNTRIES

An investigation into symptoms of depression and anxiety and emotion regulation among older adolescents from low-income settings in South Africa

IntroductionMental health conditions (MHC) among adolescents in low- and middle-income countries, including South Africa, are estimated to be high. Adaptive emotion regulation (ER) skills can protect against MHC among adolescents. In South Africa, there is limited adolescent mental health prevalence data as well as little understanding of the associations between MHC and ER among adolescents. This study aimed to address these gaps by describing the psychosocial characteristics of older South African adolescents from low-income settings as well as investigating associations between depression and anxiety symptoms and ER. MethodsWe selected 12 schools in collaboration with two NGOs. Learners aged 15–18-years were recruited to complete a tablet-based survey. ER, depression, anxiety, and other psychosocial measures were included. Two multiple linear regression models were used to determine associations between depression symptoms, anxiety symptoms, other psychosocial factors, and ER. ResultsOf the 733 participants from 12 Western Cape schools, 417 (56.90%) screened at risk for clinically significant anxiety symptoms, 423 (57.70%) participants for depression symptoms, 229 (31.40%) participants for PTSD symptoms and 263 (35.90%) for risky alcohol use. Depression and anxiety scores were found to be significantly positively correlated with ER difficulties and adolescents struggled most with identifying and utilizing adaptive ER strategies. The adjusted linear regression model reported that female gender, clinically significant depressive, anxiety, post-traumatic stress symptoms and risky-alcohol use were all significantly associated with poorer ER scores, while self-esteem was significantly associated with better ER scores. ConclusionThese findings contribute to the South African adolescent mental health literature and to the research gap on the links between depression and anxiety and ER. Future research should consider further exploration of the relationships between psychosocial factors and ER to inform the urgent development and testing of appropriate adolescent interventions in this setting.

Distal and proximal risk factors of problematic cannabis use associated with psychotic-like experiences

BackgroundProblematic cannabis use is associated with endorsement of psychotic-like experiences (PLEs) in non-clinical samples. However, little is known in regard to predictors of this relationship, which may be relevant to prevention and intervention. In the present research, we investigate impulsivity and cannabis use motives as potential distal and proximal risk factors for PLEs using conditional process analysis. MethodsUsing an online cross-sectional survey of N = 300 students, we assessed endorsement of PLEs using the Community Assessment of Psychic Experiences (CAPE), problematic cannabis use with the Cannabis Use Disorder Identification Test (CUDIT-R), motivations for using cannabis with the Substance Use Motives Measure, and impulsivity using the Urgency and Premeditation, Perseverance, Sensation Seeking, Positive Urgency Impulsive Behaviour Scale (UPPS-P). ResultsAll three subscales on the CAPE were associated with significantly higher scores on the CUDIT-R. Before and after covarying for sex, we found that higher CUDIT-R scores mediated the relations between lack of perseverance and negative urgency impulsivity with higher PLE symptoms. Furthermore, the indirect effect of cannabis use on the relationship between lack of perseverance and high negative PLE symptoms was only significant at high and moderate levels of depression-coping, but not at low depression-coping motives. ConclusionImpulsivity and depression-coping motives may be distal and proximal psychological risk factors for negative PLEs in the context of problematic cannabis use. Our findings are in line with the broader substance use and mental health literature and may be informative for cannabis use treatment targets.

A comprehensive evaluation of digital mental health literature: an integrative review and bibliometric analysis

ABSTRACT All over the world, the way we receive a variety of services including mental health treatment has changed and been redefined by the internet and digital transformation. An important turning point in the development of digital mental health studies was the COVID-19 pandemic. The number of major journals that have a large number of publications on digital mental health research is increasing. The aim of this study is to organize groups, research directions, and related topics in the digital mental health literature by using 11 search terms, while taking into account how technology is developing and how information sharing is made simpler. A bibliometric analysis of 2440 publications from qualitative and quantitative sources was done in order to achieve this goal. Information and technology, mental health issues, and groups were the three categories of themes identified by the conceptual framework. The prominent terms comprising artificial intelligence, virtual reality, machine learning, and big data are concentrated in the information and technology-related group, and the second group comprising eating disorder, anxiety, and schizophrenia are related to mental health disorders, lastly mental health nurses, children, adolescents, and young people (particularly university students) are discussed under the third group.

Effects of the mental health promotion seminar ‘Coping with stress’ in the undergraduate medical curriculum of the Medical University of Vienna

BackgroundHigh prevalence rates of distress and burnout in medical students are well-documented in mental health literature. Different types of interventions have been developed in the past in order to reduce stress in medical undergraduate students and promote better coping skills. There is, however, a paucity of studies that have tested the effectiveness of these interventions. This study aimed to examine the effect of different versions of the seminar ‘Coping with stress’, which was implemented in the first year of the undergraduate curriculum of the Medical University of Vienna in the summer semester of 2018, on students’ mental health.MethodsInvitations to participate in the study were sent via email to six cohorts of students from the Medical University of Vienna. Two cohorts participated in the onsite version of the seminar ‘Coping with stress’, whereas two cohorts participated in the online version of the seminar, and two cohorts received no intervention (control group). Data on burnout risk, life satisfaction, stress, and knowledge about available help resources were collected via online questionnaires from n = 137 students before and after the curriculum module that contained the seminar.ResultsMedical students who participated in the onsite seminar reported a reduction of some aspects of burnout, a decrease in stress, and an increase in knowledge about available help resources. No such effect was seen in the control group. Participants of the online seminar experienced a similar increase in knowledge about available help resources, but no changes in other outcomes.ConclusionsThe findings support the notion that the onsite seminar of ‘Coping with stress’ had a positive impact on medical students’ mental health and is a useful addition to the medical curriculum by promoting mental health literacy.Trial registrationThis research has been registered in the German Clinical Trial Registry with the registration number DRKS00018981 and the registration date 14/11/2019.

INNOVATIVE APPROACHES TO MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES FOR DIVERSE COMMUNITY OLDER ADULTS

Abstract Addressing the triple stigma (age, mental health, race) faced by older adults in need of mental health services has necessitated innovations that move the service provision needle. Co-located services within community settings, mental health interventions addressing those with nutritional needs, and victims of elder abuse and elder crime benefit from innovative services. The following session will highlight research outcomes from innovative treatment models: (a) In a sample of 138 diverse individuals participating in PROTECT (a brief behavioral intervention for late-life depression among elder abuse/crime victims) showed 5.15 point reductions in PhQ-9 scores across the sample and found video-delivery was non-inferior to traditional in-person therapy. Those receiving video therapy completed treatment faster, with more rapid rate of symptom reduction. (b) Do More Feel Better (a 9-week peer-led manualized intervention for those with depression and nutritional needs) found 78% experienced clinically significant reduction in depressive symptoms and over two-thirds (66%) reported satisfaction with the program. (c) DGMH (mental health services co-located in older adult centers) data indicate that of the 4,118 clients assessed, 3,373 endorsed at least one mental health need (81.9%), significantly higher than the mental health literature indicates. Over 2,133 clients have been treated in 67,597 sessions since program inception in 2018. Within 3-months of treatment, 60.8% and 52% showed clinically significant improvements in depression and anxiety, respectively. A third reported decreased loneliness and 39.4% indicated feeling less socially isolated. Further data will be presented (demographic, racial, ethnic differences). Data supported efficacy lend support to innovative mental health treatment approaches.

Thinking Three, Revisited Infants, Coparents, Gender Roles, and Cultural Contexts.

Tracing its beginnings to the mid-1990s, coparenting theory and research, guided greatly by Minuchin's structural family theory, have deepened socialization perspectives in the field of developmental psychology. Coparenting theory has perhaps had its largest impact in the field of infant-family mental health, where empirical investigations of coparenting and family level dynamics have dovetailed with studies of family alliances and triangles and inspired creative interventions to support families of infants and toddlers. In this article, the authors retrace some of the early accounts of coparenting and triangular interactions during infancy, highlighting symmetries with analogue conceptualizations discovered in the field of family therapy. Emphasizing key concepts and lessons divined from the infant-family mental health literature holding value for the practice of family therapy, the article also recognizes the dominant Euro-Western bias that has shaped much of the extant literature to date. A closing section addresses two important areas calling for more concerted attention by infant-family mental health experts and family therapists alike - under-appreciated and misunderstood elements of men's psychology connected to their core self-definition, and cultural distinctions in normal family processes. In both cases, if misread or misunderstood by the helping professional, the recipients of therapeutic services may experience failures of empathy.

Mental health in fishing communities: An overview of current knowledge and information gaps for fisheries

Fishing depends on unstable natural water resources and changing socioeconomic dynamics within and beyond the fishing environment. Changes in the aquatic and socioeconomic environments have effects on the physical and mental health of fishers and sustainability of fisheries. This scoping review aimed to: a) identify the breadth of mental health aspects in fisheries literature, b) establish the geographic focus of fisheries mental health literature, and c) examine the factors responsible for the global disparity in fisheries mental health literature. Eighty three mental health studies dominated by researches from Europe, North America, Africa, Latin America, Australia and Asia were noted from over 7452 fishing community health studies. Literature is lopsided towards the physical rather than mental health in fishers. Paucity of mental health literature for fishers emanates from the complexity of assessing the mental health of a specific group which encompasses confounding, associated and risk factors. With prevailing climate change, economic uncertainty and post COVID-19 effects, mental resilience is important for the recovery and sustainability of fisheries. There is need for development and integration of fisheries specific mental psychometrics into broader schematic health, scientific and social well-being frameworks for fishing communities to enhance mental resilience to environmental, economic and health challenges.

Research on Human Trafficking Survivors and Mental Health Issues from 2012-2022

ABSTRACT This study aims to contribute to the body of human trafficking and mental health literature by synthesizing past research on mental health issues experienced by human trafficking survivors. Specifically, this study aims to identify the common themes and differences observed in the literature on the mental health outcomes of trafficking survivors. Ultimately, this study hopes to contribute to the literature by providing human trafficking researchers and mental health practitioners with the current state of knowledge on the issue and directions for future research. A review of empirical studies from 2012–2022 was conducted. After searching through databases and screening articles, 30 studies were extracted for synthesis. Five coders reviewed the articles and coded survivors’ experiences of mental health issues. The findings from the review highlighted several aspects relating to the mental health experiences of trafficking survivors: 1) the mental health outcomes of human trafficking are complex and extensive, 2) demographic characteristics were found to play a role in the mental health outcomes of trafficking survivors in some but not all diagnoses, and 3) potential risk factors found across multiple studies shed light on what may exacerbate mental health symptomatology and the occurrence of mental health disorders following trafficking.