Mental Health Workshops Research Articles

RePAIRing the student nurse journey: empowering interrupted students through innovative support strategies.

This article reports on a study that evaluated an innovative 6-week summer returners' programme, part of the Health Education England RePAIR project, designed to support nursing students who have interrupted their studies. Held from May to July 2022, the programme addressed diverse needs through academic guidance, mental health and resilience workshops, creative arts, professional identity development, and practical nursing skills training. The programme ran alongside support from the programme team, student engagement services, and ongoing communication via phone and email. Despite non-mandatory sessions leading to varying attendance, the combined efforts facilitated the return of 67 out of 135 interrupted students. Thematic analysis identified four key themes: anticipation and fear, making contact and reaching out, preparing for return, and psychological wellbeing. The programme's effectiveness underscores the necessity of tailored support strategies to enhance retention and wellbeing. This innovative approach highlights the importance of personalised support in aiding nursing students' return to education and addressing nursing workforce shortages.

Surviving by storytelling – a research through design exploration of online poetry and mental health workshops

ABSTRACT Background The paper explores an online poetry and mental health project titled “Surviving by Storytelling”. The paper reflects on the knowledge which has been iteratively generated during the project and considers the unique challenges to delivering these workshops online. Methods Research through design (RtD) methodology was used to evaluate the project, which involved reflective discussions between workshop facilitators and a review of the artefacts generated throughout the project. Results The results revealed five themes: poetry workshops should be therapeutic, but not psychotherapy; creating a safe space for stories to breathe; facilitators should consider their positioning as writers or experts in relation to attendees; managing the potential harms of poetic exploration; and managing the loss of interpersonal symbols and spaces. Conclusion The provision of online poetry workshops on the topic of mental health can present unique complexities and the results from this paper can help to inform future practice.

Parenting Styles of Parents Having Children with and Without Disability: A Comparative Study

The essence of parenting involves much more than simply rearing and caring for the child from birth to adulthood. Being a parent means giving your children the love, attention, direction, and encouragement they need to grow emotionally, socially, cognitively, and physically. And, for this, parents employ diverse ways, methods, and techniques to raise their kids in the most effective way possible, which in common language, understood as ‘parenting styles’. These parenting styles have a substantial impact on the quality of life of every child. Research states that a caring and supportive environment improves a child's general well-being, but an over-controlling or negligent environment might have the opposite effects. This indicates that parenting is not that easy, rather requires a lot of awareness, a positive attitude, and skills related to child-rearing and nurturing. While most parents find intrinsic joy, peace, and pleasure in parenthood, it may also occasionally be a stressful, frightening, and unsuccessful experience for some, especially when a couple has a child who deviates from normalcy. Research studies revealed that raising a child with a disability can be difficult and stressful for the parents, if not well-supported or guided. To explore the same, this research aims to study the parenting styles in general and present a comparative view between the parenting styles of parents having children with disability (CwD) and those without any disability. In the sample, parents of children without any disabilities (Cw/oD) were approached by adopting a random design whereas to make a sample of parents having CwD, a specific disability was selected. Based on the personal experience and knowledge, the researchers decided to select parents of children having hearing loss condition. A total of 100 parents were selected as a sample in the study, 50 parents of Cw/oD and 50 parents of CwD. ‘Parental Style Four Factor Questionnaire’ was used to gather data in the study. The questionnaire consisted of 32 items. The study reported that most of the parents of CwD were either authoritarian or uninvolved in their parenting style which reflected their strict, rigid, and controlling environment behavior at home with their kids. Whereas, their counterparts were found to be either permissive or authoritative in their parenting style. This was also assessed statistically by applying a t-test, a significant difference in the parenting style of parents of CwD and parents of Cw/oD was noticed on three dimensions i.e. authoritative, authoritarian, and uninvolved. Further on delving more into the responses of the participants, emotions like shock, denial, thinking, sadness, guilt, anger, disappointment, lack of control, and resentment were observed among the parents of CwD. The study suggests to different stakeholders to have orientation programs, guidance centers, mental health workshops, healthy parenting workshops, and discussion forums for the parents of CwD so that such issues may be highlighted, discussed and worked upon by the professionals to bring a healthy atmosphere at home.

Reaching Young People in Urban and Rural Communities with Mental Health and Wellbeing Support Within a Youth Sports Development Program: Integrating In-Person and Remote Modes of Service Delivery.

Embedding mental health and wellbeing programs within youth sports development programs can help provide more young people with mental health support. However, delivering such programs in multiple locations across metropolitan, regional, and rural areas requires novel solutions to overcome geographic and logistical barriers. We examined the delivery of an integrated system delivered within an Australian junior rugby league program. The program included online assessment and feedback about youth mental health, as well as connection with evidence-informed resources and referral sources via parent telephone and email support. There were four methods of delivering player workshops during training sessions: (a) In-person Delivery Only, (b) In-person + Remote Real-time (video-conferenced), (c) In-person + Remote Prerecorded (video-recorded), and (d) Remote Delivery Only (video-conferenced and/or video-recorded). In-person delivered player workshops were facilitated by local rugby league personnel. Remote delivered workshops were facilitated by psychologists from the mental health research team. Participants were 671 boys (12-15years; M age = 13.35; SD = 0.35) in 21 metropolitan, regional and rural locations. Regardless of delivery condition, players with elevated anxiety, depression and behavioural problems reported significant declines in symptoms from pre- to post-program, and those within healthy ranges did not change from pre- to post-program. Player workshop enjoyment ratings were higher in the In-person + Remote Real-time condition and the Remote Delivery Only condition than the In-person Delivery Only condition. However, non-completion of the post-program assessment across all conditions was higher than in prior studies and a comparison group of players who did not complete the program was not included. Mental health benefits may be observed across in-person and remote modes of delivering mental health workshops within youth sports programs. However, the involvement of mental health personnel, whether in-person or remotely, and mixed delivery modes, may be important for young people's retention and satisfaction.

Engaging Older Adolescent Boys Into School-Based Mental Health Workshops: Testing Theory-Based Facilitators and Barriers in Focus Groups.

Untreated mental health problems continue from childhood and adolescence into adulthood, meaning accessible early intervention is essential to reduce long-term negative outcomes. However, there is often a reluctance to engage in mental health treatment, with considerable evidence that young men are less likely to seek help than young women. This original research study aimed to explore four areas of interest around facilitating engagement of adolescent boys to a stress workshop intervention for adolescents in U.K. schools. The areas explored were male role models, destigmatizing language, trust building, and using a transparent and collaborative approach. We also sought to understand the main barriers to engagement. To explore these areas of interest, two focus groups were run, with a total of 12 young men, over two regional sites (London and Bath). Content analysis was used to analyze the data. Participants particularly valued transparency and collaboration as strong facilitators to engagement. Building of trust was the next most popular. Use of role models and destigmatizing language were the joint third most popular methods. The main barrier to help-seeking identified was perceived threat to masculine identity (self and social stigma). Given these novel findings, the factors of transparency and collaboration and building trust as facilitators merit further research, among both adults and adolescents.

Mental health initiatives: Providing stress management, wellness, and mindfulness workshops on college campuses

Objective: College students experience stressors that can increase the risk for mental health concerns and negatively impact retention rates. It is crucial for practitioners working on college campuses to find creative ways to meet the needs of their students and cultivate a campus culture that is dedicated to bolstering mental health. The purpose of this study was to explore if implementing 1-h mental health workshops covering stress management, wellness, mindfulness, and SMART goals was feasible and advantageous for students. Participants: Researchers hosted 1-h workshops in 13 classrooms. Participants included 257 students who completed the pretest and 151 students who completed the post-test. Methods: A quasi-experimental 1-group pre- and post-test design was utilized. Results: Means and standard deviations were utilized to examine knowledge, attitudes, and intentions in each domain. Results indicated statistically significant improvements in each. Conclusion: Implications and interventions are provided for mental health practitioner working on college campuses.

Perspectives of education and mental health professionals on adolescent school-based mental health promotion: a qualitative exploration

BackgroundInterdisciplinary interventions for school-based mental health promotion (SBMHP) for adolescents (10–19 years old) provide a unique opportunity to address the urgent mental health needs across this population. EspaiJove.net, a SBMHP programme, has delivered mental health workshops to over 24118 adolescents in Barcelona, Spain, since 2012. This study aimed to explore the perspectives from professionals involved in EspaiJove.net regarding the needs, challenges, and opportunities for adolescent SBMHP, to guide future interventions. MethodsFollowing an interpretivist approach rooted in social constructionism, semi-structured online interviews were conducted with six mental health professionals and five education professionals recruited through purposeful sampling from four schools participating in EspaiJove.net in Barcelona, Spain. Data collection was done between November and December, 2021. An interview guide and ongoing researcher reflexivity contributed to attaining data saturation. Bracketing, member checking, and debriefing were used to ensure rigour. Data were analysed through thematic content analysis. The University of Liverpool's Ethics Committee approved this study. FindingsData showed that: (1) there is a shared understanding among education and mental health professionals towards mental health and its promotion; (2) there is an urgent need for adolescent mental health promotion; and (3) participants' perceived roles and responsibilities in SBMHP varied, but favourable views towards the implementation of SBMHP were unanimous. There was perceived urgency towards adolescent mental health promotion, partly attributed to the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. The link established between schools and mental health centres through EspaiJove.net fostered an interdisciplinary collaboration that spanned well beyond the intervention. The major challenge affecting the feasibility of SBMHP unanimously described was the scarcity of resources and political will to invest in mental health promotion. InterpretationPerspectives arising from EspaiJove.net reveal favourable views towards SBMHP among participants. Although limited by size, the consistency of the findings add strength to the study. Given the similarities between the UK and Spain's Education and Health Systems, these findings could contribute to the advancement of SBMHP in the UK. Despite current challenges, such as the scarcity of resources and political will identified in this study, capitalising on schools as health-promoting assets and fostering interdisciplinary collaboration through SBMHP could be a cost-effective way to address the current global mental health crisis. FundingNone.

Transformative learning in the setting of religious healers: A case study of consultative mental health workshops with religious healers, Ethiopia.

ObjectivePsychiatric interventions that consider the socio-cultural and spiritual traditions of patients are needed to address stigma and improve access to mental health services. Productive collaboration between traditional healers and biomedical practitioners hold promise in such efforts, and applying tenets of transformative learning hold potential for mitigating an overemphasis on biomedical models in such collaboration. We present a framework for how to engage in health system reform to enhance mental health services in communities that are distrustful of, or unfamiliar with biomedical approaches. Our research question was how to bridge two seemingly opposing paradigms of mental health care, and we sought to understand how the theory of transformational learning (TLT) can be applied to learning among Religious healers and biomedical practitioners in culturally appropriate ways to improve collaboration.MethodsTLT informed the development, implementation, and evaluation of an educational intervention in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia that aimed to improve delivery of mental health services at two Holy water sites. The initiative involved both psychiatrists and religious healers with extensive experience providing care to mentally ill patients. Using a focused ethnographic approach that incorporates document analysis methodology, this qualitative study examined recordings and minutes of stakeholder meetings, workshops and informal interviews with participants, analyzed for evidence of Mezirow's 11 stages of transformative learning. A participatory action approach was used to encourage practice change.ResultsAll participants exhibited a high degree of engagement with the of the collaborative project and described experiencing “disorienting dilemmas” by Mezirow's classic description. Opportunities to reflect separately and in large groups encouraged a re-examination of attitudes previously contributing to siloed approaches to care and led to instrumental changes in mental health care delivery and a higher degree of coordination and collaboration between psychiatrists and traditional healers.ConclusionOur study demonstrates the utility of TLT in both the design and evaluation of initiatives aiming to bridge cross-cultural and cross-professional divides. The learning process was further enhanced by a collaborative participatory action model adjusted to accommodate Ethiopian socio-political and cultural relations.

Clergy's Viewpoint Change Toward Mental Health and Stigma on Mental Illness: A Short Course Training.

BackgroundAs stigma is one of the main barriers in promoting the mental health, the present study was designed with the purpose of reviewing clergy's viewpoint regarding the effect of mental health workshops on these barriers.MethodsFor this study, by order of Iran's Health Ministry, a questionnaire was designed to examine the clergy's viewpoint related to mental illnesses and the consequent stigma. Ten faculty members and psychiatrists confirmed the questionnaire's validity after some modifications. In this research, 30 members of the clergy from the main religious city in Iran's “Qom” Seminary attended the training workshops for 2 days. The data obtained from the clergy's responses were analyzed using the SPSS software (ver.16) and descriptive and analytical tests. Also, the significance level was considered p < 0.05 in all tests. The results exhibited that the mean and standard deviation (Mean ± SD) of the clergy's attitude domain and awareness before the workshop was 1.90 ± 26.30 and 8.31 ± 1.64, respectively. Also, average and standard deviation (Mean ± SD) of their attitude domain and awareness after the workshop was 1.95 ± 29.73 and 1.18 ± 10.70, respectively.DiscussionThe present study, which was designed to examine the clergy's viewpoint toward mental illnesses and the consequent stigma in the most considerable religious base in the country, illustrated that one strategy for reducing mental illness stigma in religious communities can be by holding training sessions to promote the clergy's awareness of and attitude toward mental health.ConclusionThere was a significant statistical difference between their awareness and attitude scores before and after the workshop (p < 0.01). In the present research, the awareness and attitude of clergy toward mental health and stigma due to mental illness was relatively good and significantly increased by holding the workshop.

Piloting an Innovative Concept of e-Mental Health and mHealth Workshops With Medical Students Using a Participatory Co-design Approach and App Prototyping: Case Study.

BackgroundMedical students show low levels of e–mental health literacy. Moreover, there is a high prevalence of common mental illnesses among medical students. Mobile health (mHealth) apps can be used to maintain and promote medical students’ well-being. To date, the potential of mHealth apps for promoting mental health among medical students is largely untapped because they seem to lack familiarity with mHealth. In addition, little is known about medical students’ preferences regarding mHealth apps for mental health promotion. There is a need for guidance on how to promote competence-based learning on mHealth apps in medical education.ObjectiveThe aim of this case study is to pilot an innovative concept for an educative workshop following a participatory co-design approach and to explore medical students’ preferences and ideas for mHealth apps through the design of a hypothetical prototype.MethodsWe conducted a face-to-face co-design workshop within an elective subject with 26 participants enrolled at a medical school in Germany on 5 consecutive days in early March 2020. The aim of the workshop was to apply the knowledge acquired from the lessons on e–mental health and mHealth app development. Activities during the workshop included group work, plenary discussions, storyboarding, developing personas (prototypical users), and designing prototypes of mHealth apps. The workshop was documented in written and digitalized form with the students’ permission.ResultsThe participants’ feedback suggests that the co-design workshop was well-received. The medical students presented a variety of ideas for the design of mHealth apps. Among the common themes that all groups highlighted in their prototypes were personalization, data security, and the importance of scientific evaluation.ConclusionsOverall, this case study indicates the feasibility and acceptance of a participatory design workshop for medical students. The students made suggestions for improvements at future workshops (eg, use of free prototype software, shift to e-learning, and more time for group work). Our results can be (and have already been) used as a starting point for future co-design workshops to promote competence-based collaborative learning on digital health topics in medical education.

Use of Community-Based Participatory Research in Mental Health Studies With Older Adults: A Systematic Review

Community-based participatory research (CBPR), a bottom-up approach that community stakeholders and academics are involved equitably, is an effective approach for enhancing relevance and value in public health research and has gained popularity in recent decades. However, little is known about how CBPR can be used in mental health studies with older adults. This systematic review examined the current state of knowledge about how CBPR approach has been adopted in mental health research among older adults in different societies. According to the PRISMA guidelines, we searched five major databases and screened the literature using these criteria: 1) journal articles reporting use of CBPR in mental health research among older adults, 2) articles published in English language, 3) studies conducted in any settings with any mental health research. Initial search found 3,227 articles and preliminary screening identified 23 eligible articles. We found that around 90% of studies were conducted in the West. Most studies adopted CBPR to develop community-based mental health interventions or to revise current interventions or models while addressing the cultural needs of their studied population. Few studies adopted CBPR to evaluate existing mental health workshops or programmes. The extent of involvement of older adults in the CBPR approach varied across studies, from questionnaire design to programme evaluation. Our review uncovered ways of CBPR implementation across different societies and elements of successful implementation in CBPR practices in mental health research among older adults.

Using faith-based organisations to promote mental health education to underserved populations in Jamaica

Objective: The under-utilisation of mental health services by populations because of inadequate mental health education by community leaders and the public is of concern. The primary purpose of this study was to evaluate the usefulness of brief 1-day workshops in educating the public about mental health. Design: Quantitative pre–post evaluation. Setting: Community-based mental health workshops in urban Jamaica. Method: A survey on awareness of mental health resources was completed by 39 community leaders. In addition, 204 participants, who attended three 1-day public educational workshops, anonymously completed evaluations of workshop objectives including met expectations, stimulated learning, and workshop strengths and weaknesses. Of these participants, 157 completed pre–post workshop evaluations to identify subjective improvements in knowledge and competency. Results: Almost 60% of community leaders reported being in regular contact with persons who expressed poor emotional well-being, but typically only referred 25%–30% for mental health counselling. The workshops on mental health education, facilitated by faith-based organisations, were well subscribed by the public and most participants rated them favourably. Significantly more participants reported satisfaction with the workshops on Parenting Practices compared to Workplace Wellness ( p &lt; .05). Wilcoxon Signed Rank tests revealed higher mean scores overall on post-workshop evaluation indicating gain in knowledge and competency; mean pre-test score, 3.26 (0.77), and post-test, 4.38 (0.48), p &lt; .000. Conclusion: One-day mental health education workshops met public expectations and resulted in subjective gains in knowledge and competency. Research is needed to clarify the specific benefits of using public education workshops supported by faith-based organisations to promote mental health.

Head to health: Practitioner perceptions of the new digital mental health gateway.

To understand health practitioners' attitudes towards the acceptability and usability of the Head to Health digital gateway. Feedback surveys were completed by health care practitioners to identify experiences with and perceptions of the digital mental health gateway Head to Health. Data from the surveys were evaluated via thematic analysis. Health care practitioners working in mental health settings participated in three digital mental health workshops facilitated by Queensland University of Technology in 2018. A total of 43 participants explored key features of the Head to Health site and provided feedback via a post-workshop survey. Clinician feedback about usability, utility, barriers to integration and promotion of the Head to Health digital mental health gateway. Practitioner feedback highlighted that although many were unaware of the website, overall perceptions were positive with 79% stating they will recommend the site to clients in the future. Thematic analysis revealed four overarching thematic headings; "utility of the Head to Health portal," "usability," "clinician recommendations" and "clinician-led" promotional strategies. Health professionals identified a number of roles they can play in assisting to promote Head to Health more widely. Overall Head to Health is perceived to be a quality resource of value to health practitioners. There is a need for ongoing government and clinician-led promotion of Head to Health both generally and in the rural setting. Guidelines are required on integration of digital mental health resources into clinical practice.

Perceptions of Community Involvement in the Peruvian Mental Health Reform Process Among Clinicians and Policy-Makers: A Qualitative Study.

Background: The global burden of mental health conditions has led to the implementation of new models of care for persons with mental illness. Recent mental health reforms in Peru include the implementation of a community mental health model (CMHM) that, among its core objectives, aims to provide care in the community through specialized facilities, the community mental health centers (CMHCs). Community involvement is a key component of this model. This study aims to describe perceptions of community engagement activities in the current model of care in three CMHCs and identify barriers and potential solutions to implementation.Methods: A qualitative research study using in-depth semi-structured interviews with clinicians from three CMHCs and with policy-makers involved in the implementation of the mental health reforms was conducted in two regions of Peru. The interviews, conducted in Spanish, were digitally recorded with consent, transcribed and analyzed using principles of grounded theory applying a framework approach. Community engagement activities are described at different stages of patient care.Results: Twenty-five full-time employees (17 women, 8 men) were interviewed, of which 21 were clinicians (diverse health professions) from CMHCs, and 4 were policy-makers. Interviews elucidated community engagement activities currently being utilized including: (1) employing community mental health workers (CMHWs); (2) home visits; (3) psychosocial clubs; (4) mental health workshops and campaigns; and (5) peer support groups. Inadequate infrastructure and financial resources, lack of knowledge about the CMHM, poorly defined catchment areas, stigma, and inadequate productivity approach were identified as barriers to program implementation. Solutions suggested by participants included increasing knowledge and awareness about mental health and the new model, implementation of peer-training, and improving productivity evaluation and research initiatives.Conclusion: Community engagement activities are being conducted in Peru as part of a new model of care. However, their structure, frequency, and content are perceived by clinicians and policy-makers as highly variable due to a lack of consistent training and resources across CMHCs. Barriers to implementation should be quickly addressed and potential solutions executed, so that scale-up best optimizes the utilization of resources in the implementation process.

Mental health workshops for parents

Many schools run wellbeing or mental health workshops for parents to help support children and families. Dr Pooky Knightsmith offers her tips for organising effective and engaging events

Preparing community pharmacists for a role in mental health: An evaluation of accredited Australian pharmacy programs

BackgroundAustralian community pharmacists are well placed to provide medication-related support and contribute to optimization of outcomes for mental health consumers and their caregivers. However, little is known about the actual competencies of community pharmacists to provide this care. To determine how graduates are being prepared to competently assist mental health consumers and their caregivers, an exploration of the mental health content of university pharmacy programs that set the foundation for pharmacists’ professional roles is needed. AimTo investigate the mental health content of accredited Australian pharmacy qualifying programs. MethodA review of publically available online profile information for accredited degree programs was conducted, and program coordinators from the 18 accredited pharmacy degree programs providers in Australia were surveyed. ResultsMental health education is embedded in core subjects such as pharmacology, pharmacotherapy, and pharmacy practice. Multiple options are employed to deliver mental health teaching, including lectures, workshops, and experiential learning. However, while education is intended to align with pharmacists’ expected level of professional competencies, there is a lack of national standardized outcome-based competency criteria for new graduates and wide-ranging inter-program variations were evident. ConclusionA lack of standardized content in pharmacy qualifying programs that underpin pharmacists’ mental health knowledge and skills might result in variations to practice competencies. Further work is needed to determine how variations impact the way pharmacists deliver care to mental health consumers and their caregivers.

Midwives and perinatal mental health: Knowledge, attitudes and learning needs

Aim: To explore the knowledge, attitudes and learning needs of midwives related to perinatal mental health disorders. Methods: A cross sectional designwas used. A survey comprised custom-designed questions and vignettes presenting four disorders. The participants included 238 midwives employed from March to June 2013 at a public tertiary maternity hospital in Western Australia. Results: There was 50.1% response rate with only 37.6% of midwives feeling well-equipped to support women, and 50.2% reporting insufficient access to information. Demand was highest for education on: personality disorders (77.8%); the impact of childbearing on mental health disorders (74.2%); and skills for handling stress and aggression (57.8%). Correct knowledge scores were on average 8 (out of 13), although 2.7% answered more than 11 correctly, and 3.7% scored more than 4 correct. Correct recognition of disorders within four vignettes included depression (93.9%), anxiety (74.8%), a manic episode or bipolar disorder (68.3%) and schizophrenia (65.6%). There were no associations between general knowledge scores and previous mental health experience, recent professional development, or access to information around mental health. The majority endorsed positive beliefs about midwives’ role in mental health assessment and belief in women’s recovery (83.5%). The Stereotype Content Model was used to examine how midwives judge a range of social groups including women with and without a mental health disorder. Cluster analysis of warmth and competence ratings revealed negative stereotyping of mental health disorders. Conclusion: Midwives accept it is their role to assess the mental health status of women but many feel ill-equipped to do so and express a strong desire for further knowledge and skills across a range of perinatal mental health topics. Attitudes to recovery are positive but negative stereotypes exist; therefore awareness of potential bias is important to negate their influence on care. Findings will be used to develop a series of perinatal mental health workshops for midwives.

Prospective evaluation of mental health training for occupational health practitioners

Occupational health (OH) practitioners need to be confident in identifying and managing mental health problems in the workforce. To evaluate the effectiveness of a one-day workshop in improving the knowledge, attitude and confidence of OH practitioners in detecting and managing depression, anxiety, suicide risk, alcohol misuse and drug abuse. Interactive mental health workshops for 164 OH practitioners held in five regions in England were evaluated by self-administered questionnaire. Data were collected immediately prior to the workshop (T1), immediately after the workshop (T2) and 4 months following the workshop (T3). At T1, the response rate was 97% (159/164), 90% at T2 and 63% at T3. The mean improvement in participants' knowledge was 8% (95% CI 6-10) at T2 compared with T1. The biggest improvement was in participants with no previous training in the management of common mental health problems in the workplace, mean improvement 9% (95% CI 6-12). Participants' confidence improved in all areas assessed at T2, and the improvement in confidence compared with that at baseline was sustained at 4 months (T3). Participants reported using the knowledge gained in clinical practice in all topic areas covered. Use of knowledge gained at the workshop was significantly higher in those who had had previous training in managing common mental health disorders. This one-day interactive workshop was a feasible and effective method of improving OH professionals' confidence, knowledge and application of skills in practice in key areas of mental health.

A elaboração participativa de indicadores para a avaliação em saúde mental

The specialized literature frequently cites the inclusion of different interest groups in evaluative research, referred to generically as "participatory evaluation". However, there is a lack of an empirical basis for discussion on ways to operate and (especially) qualify such participation. This article discusses the participatory development of mental health indicators for use in the Centers for Psychosocial Care (CAPS) in Brazil. The process included participation by 58 health workers and managers from 26 CAPS through regular meetings over a year. The meetings were intermediated by a course on mental health evaluation and workshops in subgroups, supported by facilitators throughout the year. The creation of spaces for the qualification of their participation, through the course and other collective activities, proved effective for guaranteeing participation at various levels in the process (such as definition of issues, pre-test indicators, and data analysis) as well as for stimulating ownership of the final product by the participants.

Making recovery a reality for family and friends

PurposeThis paper aims to build on the Sainsbury Centre for Mental Health (now Centre for Mental Health) workshops by focusing on the recovery of family and friends in particular.Design/methodology/approachThere are already policy supports for the well being of family and friends but at present, their recovery has been overshadowed by the recovery of people who use services. Taking hope, agency and opportunity as key recovery tenets, we use life story work (LSW) to explore this gap and further a relational approach between people who give care, people who use services and people who provide them.FindingsThe loop between existing policy and recovery oriented practice should be closed, suggesting LSW as a training platform to consider the humanity of family and friends as of equal worth to people who use services and people who provide them.Originality/valueThe authors argue that without equal consideration and support, family and friends are at risk of becoming hopeless as their sense of agency and access to opportunities diminish. LSW with family and friends paints a consistently worrying picture of the quality of engagement with services which are not sufficiently resourced to offer an integrated approach to recovery. Without such an approach, however, the effectiveness of recovery‐oriented practice may be compromised by the creation of new cycles of hopelessness.