Mental Health Training Program Research Articles

The BaMidbar Mental Health training program for educators: a Mixed Methods case study

The purpose of this study was to examine the BaMidbar Mental Health Training program and the influence the training had on community educator populations. This was a mixed method exploratory case study which utilized observational data and five interviews. A survey which examined the possible impacts of the trainings (through relevance and confidence variables) was utilized. We found that participants’ confidence had a higher correlation to the likelihood of implementing training materials than the relevance the training had to participants’ job placements. We also found categories of perceived skill development articulated by the participants interviewed. These skills included: checking in, changing spaces, giving students choices, giving feedback and identifying behaviors. There were concerns that the training programs did not create enough knowledge retention of specific therapeutic terms or scaffolding skills for educators to embed the training content into their job placements. Suggestions for further research and training programs are listed in the conclusion.

Assessment of the feasibility of a community-based mental health training programme for persons with disabilities by non-specialists from different stakeholders’ perspectives in Bangladesh

IntroductionBangladesh is a developing country where 11% of the population has at least one disability, but no community-level mental health service is available. There is limited evidence of the burden of mental health issues and health-seeking behaviour among this population. This study assessed the feasibility of a training intervention for persons with disabilities, where peer support providers provided community-based disability-inclusive mental health services.MethodsFour stakeholder groups participated in this qualitative study: peer responders (trained persons with disabilities), trainers, representatives of organisations of persons with disabilities and disability-specific organisations, and officials of international and national non-governmental organisations. Two types of qualitative interviews were used to collect data, and thematic analysis techniques were utilised.ResultStakeholders perceived the peer responder training programme as acceptable for persons with disabilities to develop themselves as peer support providers, with potential benefits including increased mental health literacy, ensuring accessible mental health services, and improving the well-being of persons with disabilities. Potential challenges included receiving training and delivering services. Increased training duration, more fieldwork, supervision opportunities, and refresher training were recommended to mitigate training challenges. Financial support and formal community recognition were deemed necessary for training delivery.ConclusionThe peer responder training programme was feasible to ensure accessible mental health services for persons with disabilities, build a workforce to screen for mental health conditions, and provide appropriate referrals. A multi-sectoral collaboration of government and non-governmental institutions is recommended to policy advocates to expand the peer responder training programme in the mainstream mental healthcare system.

Development of the UPSIDES global mental health training programme for peer support workers: Perspectives from stakeholders in low, middle and high-income countries.

Peer support in mental health is a low-threshold intervention with increasing evidence for enhancing personal recovery and empowerment of persons living with severe mental health conditions. As peer support spreads globally, there is a growing need for peer support training programmes that work well in different contexts and cultures. This study evaluates the applicability and transferability of implementing a manualised multi-national training programme for mental health peer support workers called UPSIDES from the perspective of different local stakeholders in high-, middle-, and low-income countries. Data from seven focus groups across six study sites in Africa (Tanzania, Uganda), Asia (India, Israel), and Europe (Germany 2 sites) with 44 participants (3 service users, 7 peer support workers, 25 mental health staff members, 6 clinical directors and 3 local community stakeholders) were thematically analysed. 397 codes were identified, which were thematically analysed. Five implementation enablers were identified: (i) Enhancing applicability through better guidance and clarity of training programme management, (ii) provision of sufficient time for training, (iii) addressing negative attitudes towards peer support workers by additional training of organisations and staff, (iv) inclusion of core components in the training manual such as communication skills, and (v) addressing cultural differences of society, mental health services and discrimination of mental health conditions. Participants in all focus groups discussed the implementation of the training and peer support intervention to a greater extent than the content of the training. This is in line with growing literature of difficulties in the implementation of peer support including difficulties in hiring peer support workers, lack of funding, and lack of role clarity. The results of this qualitative study with stakeholders from different mental health settings worldwide emphasises the need to further investigate the successful implementation of peer support training. All results have been incorporated into the manualisation of the UPSIDES peer support training.

Countertransference Teaching: The Challenge of Going Beyond Literature: A Novel Approach

While countertransference in its various definitions has become central to psychoanalytic theory and practice, and countertransference is acknowledged as central to most care-giving practices, the opportunities to know and explore countertransference in most mental health training programs is limited. Applying approaches of Narrative Medicine didactics, this paper proposes and demonstrates how the group study of clinically relevant literature (novels and short stories) under guided discussion can lead to the identification and exploration of countertransference reactions. The scope of this paper is to report on a single class taught for ten years using literature to teach adolescent development with the finding that it became a forum to explore various countertransference arising in psychotherapies with adolescents, an approach that can be broadly applied.

Digitally Assisted Mindfulness in Training Self-Regulation Skills for Sustainable Mental Health: A Systematic Review.

The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic has led to an increased demand for mental health interventions, with a special focus on digitally assisted ones. Self-regulation describes a set of meta-skills that enable one to take control over his/her mental health and it is recognized as a vital indicator of well-being. Mindfulness training is a promising training strategy for promoting self-regulation, behavioral change, and mental well-being. A growing body of research outlines that smart technologies are ready to revolutionize the way mental health training programs take place. Artificial intelligence (AI); extended reality (XR) including virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), and mixed reality (MR); as well as the advancements in brain computer interfaces (BCIs) are ready to transform these mental health training programs. Mindfulness-based interventions assisted by smart technologies for mental, emotional, and behavioral regulation seem to be a crucial yet under-investigated issue. The current systematic review paper aims to explore whether and how smart technologies can assist mindfulness training for the development of self-regulation skills among people at risk of mental health issues as well as populations with various clinical characteristics. The PRISMA 2020 methodology was utilized to respond to the objectives and research questions using a total of sixty-six experimental studies that met the inclusion criteria. The results showed that digitally assisted mindfulness interventions supported by smart technologies, including AI-based applications, chatbots, virtual coaches, immersive technologies, and brain-sensing headbands, can effectively assist trainees in developing a wide range of cognitive, emotional, and behavioral self-regulation skills, leading to a greater satisfaction of their psychological needs, and thus mental wellness. These results may provide positive feedback for developing smarter and more inclusive training environments, with a special focus on people with special training needs or disabilities.

Mental Health Training for Health Care Workers at Eradah and Mental Health Complex in Jeddah City

Aims: This study aims to implement the impact of a mental health training program designed for health workers at Eradah Complex in Jeddah City, Saudi Arabia.
 Study Design: A quasi-study in addition to qualitative designs.
 Place and Duration of Study: A mixed method was made at Eradah Complex for the program took 4 months.
 Methodology: A mixed-methods research design was employed with A quasi-experimental design employing a single group pre-test/post-test approach utilized to assess the impact of training on knowledge and attitude and using semi-structured interviews. Additionally, qualitative feedback from both the health workers and patients was gathered to gauge the program's impact on the quality of mental health care provided at the Eradah Complex.
 Results: A total of 100 participants with different healthcare specialities were selected on quasi-experimental design with nearly equality of males and females’ gender and majority of ages more than 25 years old or less and house officers (physicians). Assessing the knowledge revealed that the group showed a significant difference before assessing the program and after it (p=0.00) with a mean difference of more than 5±1.07 for each type of mental health, also, assessing the attitude revealed that the group showed a significant difference between before assessing the program and after it (p=0.00) except for epilepsy (p= 0.17) with mean difference more than 6±1.06 for each type of mental health.
 Conclusion: The findings of this case study highlight the positive outcomes of the mental health training program. Health workers demonstrated significant improvements in their understanding of mental health disorders, communication skills, and ability to support patients experiencing mental health crises. Moreover, the program contributed to a noticeable reduction in the stigma surrounding mental illness among both staff members and patients, fostering a more supportive and compassionate healthcare environment. This case study provides valuable insights into the importance of mental health training for healthcare professionals and offers practical recommendations for other healthcare facilities aiming to enhance the mental health competencies of their staff. The study concludes with a discussion of the implications of the findings and suggestions for future research and improvements in mental health training programs for healthcare workers in similar contexts.

Being a Program Director in a Mental Health Training Program - A Candid Reflection

AbstractDespite the important impact that program directors can have upon a mental health training program, there is surprisingly little literature on program directors. This article builds on the existing literature by providing a candid insider’s perspective on what it is like to be a program director of a mental health training program. The article describes twelve areas where program directors may experience challenges, such as developing a leadership style, the potential impact on relationships (e.g., power), managing triangulation, addressing the impact of the role on teaching and scholarship, dealing with burnout, managing accreditation, and working with university administrators. In each of these areas, recommendations for how a program director might navigate these challenges are offered. The article concludes with a call for more research on this topic given the limited literature.

Mental health training for high school coaches and athletic directors: Community-based participatory research to Coach Beyond

Training to improve high school sport coaches’ and athletic directors’ knowledge, skills, and competencies to address and respond to rising mental health concerns is more important than ever. High school student-athletes are at increased risk for mental health concerns, given the pressures of balancing sport, school, and other responsibilities. This paper describes a community-based participatory research (CBPR) study that guided two years of public impact and social change efforts to improve coach education and training in one large Midwestern state in the United States. Our collective goal was to empower coaches and athletic directors to coach “beyond the Xs and Os.” Using a CBPR framework, we describe the decision-making process that led to the co-development and implementation of a mental health training program piloted with 147 high school coaches and athletic directors. We also describe intermediate outcomes associated with our collective change efforts demonstrating the value of using a CBPR approach. Our “Coach Beyond” processes and outputs showcase how CBPR can lead to transformative action and social change to reorient sport as a context focused on the holistic health, wellness, and development of student-athletes.

WhySchool mental health training programs: effective for students, teachers, and school health staff

Abstract Introduction Adolescent mental health is an increasing concern due to the high prevalence of mental disorders and low levels of mental health literacy (MHL). Enhancing MHL and promoting access to services during this critical developmental phase is essential. Teachers and other educational professionals are vital in addressing mental health issues, encouraging positive mental health, reducing the stigma associated with mental illness, and promoting help-seeking behaviors. Methods This study evaluates the WhySchool project, a mental health training program for teachers, school health professionals, and students in Portugal, consisting of two interventions. The first intervention was a prospective pre-post study for teachers and school health professionals who underwent training during 2015-2016 and 2018-2020, with three evaluation phases. The second intervention was a quasi-experimental study in 2019-2020 for students who received the intervention program in a classroom setting administered by previously trained teachers. Results The first intervention significantly improved teachers’ and school health professionals’ mental health literacy, help-seeking attitudes, stigma reduction, and confidence in referring students in case of need. These effects remained stable at the M2 follow-up. In the second intervention, MHL scores increased significantly in the intervention group, while the control group showed no significant change. Stigma reduction and help-seeking attitudes also improved significantly in the intervention group, with no significant change in the control group. Conclusions The WhySchool program significantly and positively impacted teachers’ and students’ mental health literacy, help-seeking attitudes, and stigma reduction. The results underscore the importance of incorporating mental health programs into school curricula and providing teachers and school staff with the necessary tools and knowledge to deliver these programs effectively.

9.L. Workshop: Mental health literacy in schools: new insights from key European studies across populations

Abstract Background Good mental health is important for better population health outcomes and improved quality of life in societies, while poor mental health and mental disorders have not only negative health effects but are also responsible for increased health care costs and burden of disease. Increased prevalence rates of mental health problems, severity of mental illnesses and associated disability and mortality rates are considered alarming, making poor mental health a threat to population health and European public health. These circumstances together have resulted in an increased attention towards mental health in European and global public health. Mental health promotion in schools, at the workplace and everyday life has become an important tool to improve psychological and psychosocial health outcomes and increase mental well-being. In this context, mental health literacy, too, has become an important public health target. Mental health literacy is linked to health literacy but in addition includes an individual's capacities and resources that enable them to actively promote their mental health and mental well-being, including improved mental health knowledge, help-seeking strategies, and less stigmatizing attitudes. In particular it is defined as understanding how to sustain and maintain positive mental health, understanding mental disorders and their different treatments options, decreasing mental health related stigma, and enhancing people's help-seeking efficacy. As a concept, mental health literacy was coined in the 1990s, but in particular recent developments in digital communication technologies, digital health, the Internet and Social Media as well as the Covid-19 pandemic have accelerated its uptake in public health research, practice and policy. Workshop objectives The aim of this workshop is to: (1) present current research projects and their findings on mental health literacy in schools from 3 different European countries (Germany, Portugal, France), (2) shed light on the critical importance of mental health literacy promotion in all settings and (3) initiate a critical discussion on concepts, methods and intervention concerning mental health literacy. The 1st presentation will introduce the WhySchool project, a mental health training program for teachers, school health professionals, and students (Portugal). The 2nd presentation will present a mental health literacy school intervention for students and teachers, the Guide (Germany). The 3rd presentation will introduce a novel tool to measure child mental health literacy (France). The 4th presentation will introduce a digital tool to promote mental health literacy of school-children. The format of this workshop will be 4 x 7 minute presentations followed by a 20 minute interactive panel discussion with the presenters. Key messages • This workshop will shed light on mental health literacy promotion based on contemporary European studies. • Mental health literacy is important for positive mental health and should be addressed as early as in schools and supported by public health policy-making.

Development of an Integrated Telehealth Primary Care and Mental Health Training Program for Nurse Practitioner Students: Review of the Literature

Nurse practitioners (NPs) are well equipped to meet the growing mental and primary health care needs of patients through telehealth. Training programs that integrate primary care and mental health care delivery through telehealth for NPs are needed in advanced practice education. A review of the literature was completed to guide the development and determine the best education practices for an integrated telehealth primary care and mental health training program for NP students. This review highlights 4 themes: confidence and competency, collaboration and consultation, applicability to practice, and technology use.

Risk Factors of Suicide Attempt among Adolescents with Suicide Ideation in Low- and Middle-Income Countries across the Globe

Suicide is a serious public health problem for adolescents. Based on the framework of ideation-to-action, it is important to examine the factors associated with the translation from suicide ideation to suicide attempt. The present study aimed to investigate the risk factors of suicide attempts among adolescents with suicide ideation in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs). We analyzed data of students aged 12–18 years who participated in the 2009–2013 Global School-based Health Surveys (GSHS) in 39 LMICs. The Chi-square test was used to compare the prevalence of suicide attempts among participants with suicide ideation, the multilevel logistic regression model was used to identify significant factors associated with suicide attempts among suicide ideators. Among 22,655 adolescents with suicide ideation, 55.1% of them reported having made a suicide attempt in the past year. Loneliness, anxiety, alcohol use, and drug use were risk factors for suicide attempts among suicide ideators. Strategies should be implemented to reduce the likelihood of adolescents acting on their suicidal thoughts, such as community psychological crisis line, school-based mental health and skills training programs, and family support for adolescents with psychological problems.

Prevalence of Mental Health Problems among School-going Adolescents in Melmaruvathur: An Observational Study

Introduction: Around 2.2 billion of the world's population are children and adolescents. Ninety percentage live in low-and middle-income countries, where they make up 30%–50% of the population. This study examines mental health issues and their association with gender in Melmaruvathur, teenage school children. Materials and Methods: After receiving approval from the Ethics Committee, a descriptive cross-sectional questionnaire-based study was carried out on adolescents who were attending school in Melmaruvathur. The participants in the study filled out the questionnaires. The power of the study was set at 80%, and the significance level was set at 0.05. The estimated size of the sample was 500. The duration of the study was approximately 1 ½ years, beginning on June 1, 2021, and ending on December 30, 2022. The age range was anywhere between 11 and 17 years, participants had to be adolescents who attended school. Those who had participated in mental health training programs in the past were not allowed to participate. Results: There were about 43.4% of females and 56.6% of males among the study participants. About 3.0% had very high conduct problems, 5.80% had high conduct problems, 1.4% had very high hyperactivity, around 1.80% had very high emotional problems, around 7.40% had very high peer problems, and 6.80% had very low prosocial. There was no statistically significant difference between the genders regarding conduct problems, hyperactivity problems, emotional problems, peer problems, and prosocial. In the case of females, 77.52% had a total difficulty score that was quite close to the average and in males, 81.53% received a total difficulty score that was quite close to the average. Conclusion: The findings are significant for several reasons, including the understanding of gender-specific vulnerabilities, the creation of youth mental health interventions that are more specifically focused on youth, and the peculiarities of the home setting.

CROSS-CULTURAL SUPERVISION: CLINICAL SUPERVISORS’ PERCEPTION OF WORKING WITH INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS

Supervision theories or models have traditionally not been centered on cross-cultural supervision (e.g., American clinical supervisors working with international trainees). To this end, this qualitative study sought to explore cross-cultural supervision from the perspective of clinical supervisors. A total number of 10 supervisors participated in the current study. Three themes emerged from the supervisors’ data: (1) systemic issues, acculturation, and power differential; (2) reciprocal learning and supervisory relationship; and (3) effective supervision strategies. Findings may help advance clinical supervision with international students, enable mental health professionals and training programs better understand the cross-cultural supervision process with international trainees

THE PROFILE OF COMMON POISONINGS AND ITS OUTCOME IN A TERTIARY CAREHOSPITAL MYSURU

Background and Objective: Poisoning is a common medico-social problem worldwide. Its pattern and outcome varies from place to place causing significant morbidity and mortality.Hence this is an attempt to study the profile of common poisonings and its outcome inour tertiary-care hospital. Materials and Methods: This is a cross-sectional observational study. we studied 100 admitted poisoning patients in Krishna Rajendra hospital, Mysore who met the inclusion and exclusion criteria .The demographic data, compound details, its complications and outcome were analyzed. Results: In this study most of them were in the age group of 21-30years(37%),76 % were males and 24% were females. Majority of them were married(74%),48% were illiterate, 80% were from rural areas with lower socioeconomic status(65%).The most common poisoning was Non-Organophosphorus compound –Cypermethrin(35%).(20% )Organophoshorus compound,(15%)aluminum phosphide,(12%) multiple tablets,(7%) unknown,(4%)paraquat,(4%)Ratpowder,(2%)Rat paste,(1%)acid ingestion. Majority were suicidal (88%),13% had ICU admissions and 11%died. Conclusion: In this study pesticides were the most common poison leading to significant mortality ,with majority of them being suicidal.Hence there is a need for stringent pesticide regulation laws and suicidal prevention awareness in the society.This study also emphasizes the need of psychological counseling and mental health training programs to the targeted population to reduce the incidence of suicidal poisoning.

Facilitating Multicultural and Social Justice Development through Immersion and Study Abroad Experiences

Mental health training programs are required to train students to become competent clinical professionals wherein they learn multicultural competencies, including social justice perspectives, and develop multicultural orientation. A growing trend in multicultural competence development and multicultural orientation understanding, embraced both by training programs and professional mental health organizations, is cultural immersion and study abroad experiences. These provide opportunities for personal growth, firsthand cultural learning, and exposure to global mental health matters from diverse perspectives. In addition, studying abroad allows for increased knowledge, emotional and empathic development, and spiritual formation which can lead to personal transformative development. Spirituality is a common element within study abroad, multicultural competency, and multicultural orientation, all of which are unique in all persons as a natural aspect of personal development. Through studying abroad, students can cultivate multicultural, spiritual, and values understanding, as well as encounter serendipitous learning opportunities that lead to transformative development and social justice advocacy opportunities.

Attitude Towards the Mentally Ill Among Accredited Social Health Activist (ASHA) Workers in the Ahmedabad City of Gujarat.

The community misunderstands mental illness, resulting in stigmatizing attitudes toward persons with mental illness. High mental health literacy (MHL) among Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHA) workers can help spread mental health awareness to the community. The study aimed to assess the attitudes of ASHA workers toward the mentally ill. A cross-sectional survey was conducted among ASHA workers in the city of Ahmedabad using the Community Attitude toward Mentally Ill (CAMI) scale - Gujarati version. Census sampling was used to collect data from ASHA workers at various Urban Health Centers (UHC). We analyzed 265 responses. The mean (SD) of authoritarianism (AU), benevolence (BE), social restrictiveness (SR), and community mental health ideology (CMHI) subscales were 29.77(3.35), 35.33(3.78), 34.55(3.49), and 37.15(4.42), respectively (a higher mean suggests a negative attitude in the AU and SR subscales and a positive attitude in the BE and CMHI subscales). Although ASHA workers displayed goodwill and a welcoming attitude on the BE and CMHI subscales, they showed negative and stigmatizing attitudes on certain items of the AU and SR subscales. This necessitates a widespread mental health education campaign and training program for them.

Mental Health Training Programs for Community Pharmacists in Low Middle-income Countries: A Systematic Review

Objective: This review aimed to explore the potential approachto continuing education and training the community pharmacists to equip them to support mental health consumers in lowmiddle- income countries. Materials and Methods: A systematic search strategy was conducted using Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA). Search terms related to mental health, training program, and community pharmacist were used in three major databases (i.e.,PubMed, Science Direct, and Scopus), retrieving a total of 5575 articles. Ten studies met the inclusion criteria. Results and Discussion: There was evidence that shortduration delivery and non-direct contact training with patient diagnosed with mental illness (consumer educator or peer-level-educator) have the same effect as long training delivery and direct contact intervention. Consumer educator or peer-level-educator in mental health training programs are key factors to improved mental health knowledge, attitudes, and pharmaceutical care service of community pharmacists. Conclusion: Flexible nondirected delivery methods using video footage of expert and mental health patients were preferred for a low-cost program accessible to a large community pharmacy workforce which can be applicable in developing countries. However, there is an urgent need for further studies to clarify actual changes in the attitude of and daily service by pharmacists after participating in a mental health training program. Bangladesh Journal of Medical Science Vol. 22 No. 02 April’23 Page : 284-296

Experiences of Users with an Online Self-Guided Mental Health Training Program Using Gamification

Young adulthood is a period of high risk for the development of mental health concerns. Increasing well-being among young adults is important to prevent mental health concerns and their consequences. Self-compassion has been identified as a modifiable trait with the potential to protect against mental health concerns. An online self-guided mental health training program using gamification was developed and the user experience was evaluated in a 6-week experimental design. During this period, 294 participants were allocated to use the online training program via a website. User experience was assessed via self-report questionnaires, and interaction data for the training program were also collected. Results showed that those who completed the intervention (n= 47) visited the website on average 3.2 days a week, with a mean of 45.8 interactions during the 6 weeks. Participants report positive user experiences of the online training, on average a System Usability Scale Brooke (1) score of 79.1 (out of 100) at the end-point. Participants showed positive engagement with story elements of the training, based on an average score of 4.1 (out of 5) in the evaluation of the story at the end-point. This study found the online self-compassion intervention for youth to be acceptable, although some features seem preferred by users as compared to others. Gamification in the form of a guiding story and a reward structure seemed to be a promising element for successfully motivating participants and serving as a guiding metaphor for self-compassion.

Online mental health training program for male-dominated organisations: a pre-post pilot study assessing feasibility, usability, and preliminary effectiveness

PurposeThe emergence of digital health interventions for mental ill-health in the workplace is expansive. Digital interventions delivered in male-dominated settings are less so. This pilot study aimed to assess the usability, feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary effects of an online intervention in a male-dominated organization. We focus on male-dominated as mental ill-health is frequently unrecognized and underdiagnosed among males.MethodsUnwind, a 7-week internet-based program with stress-management components, was tested in a pre-post pilot study. Unwind gets users to identify and understand their stress triggers and assists them to develop adaptive ways to manage these and their stress. Participants were Australian adults employed in a mining company. Follow-up assessment occurred 8 weeks after baseline. The primary outcome measure was change in stress symptoms, with secondary outcomes; change in depression, anxiety, insomnia, well-being, and alcohol use. User feedback and program data were analyzed to assess usability, engagement, and intervention adherence.ResultsEligible participants n = 87 showed significant reductions in stress (g = 0.46, p < 0.001), depression (g = 0.47, p < 0.001), anxiety (g = 0.50, p < 0.001), insomnia (g = 0.44, p < 0.001), and well-being (g = 0.32, p = 0.004) post-intervention. Significant improvements were observed in both well and unwell (mental ill-health) and male and female participants. There was no gender effect on outcomes. A dose–response was observed as the number of modules used was related positively to improvement in anxiety (F1,86 = 5.735, p = 0.019; R2 = 0.25). Overall users rated Unwind as useful and engaging.ConclusionThis study presents evidence base that Unwind is a feasible and acceptable approach to reducing employees’ mental health-related symptoms in typically difficult-to-reach male-dominated industries. Unwind is feasible for larger scale delivery within male-dominated industries.