Professional Mental Health Support Research Articles

Status of professional mental health help-seeking intention associated factors among medical students: a cross-sectional study in China.

Low professional help-seeking intention (PHSI) hinders effective treatment of mental illness. PHSI among Chinese students is still understudied and under-recognized. This study aimed to evaluate the status of PHSI and its associated risk factors among Chinese medical students. A cross-sectional survey was conducted in Hainan province, South China, between January 1, 2021, and May 31, 2021.A total of 2182 medical students were recruited and surveyed via an anonymous structured questionnaire. Logistic regression analyses were performed to identify the factors associated with PHSI. Among the 2182 medical students (mean age 21.0 years (SD = 3.70), 61.5% females), those with and without PHSI were 72.0% and 28.0%, and 16.4% with moderate to severe depression. Male students, those with a high level of depression stigma, serious family dysfunction, and heavy dependence on mobile phones were significantly less likely to seek professional mental health help, with odds ratios (ORs) of 1.5, 2.0, 2.1, and 1.7, respectively. A significant proportion of Chinese medical students demonstrate low PHSI, influenced by factors such as gender, depression stigma, family dysfunction, and mobile phone dependence. Future interventions aimed at increasing medical students' PHSI should prioritize reducing depression stigma, mitigating reliance on mobile phone use, and enhancing family function to address these key barriers to seeking professional mental health support.

'I'm still su!c!dal when you're done with the paperwork': an inductive framework thematic analysis of #camhs on TikTok.

Young people are sharing their experiences of Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) in the United Kingdom on TikTok. Little is known about the content of these videos and their influence on young people's attitudes towards seeking professional mental health support. This study explored how CAMHS is represented in a sample of 100 #camhs TikTok videos using participatory inductive framework thematic analysis. Four themes were developed alongside young people as co-researchers: (a) CAMHS can be frustrating and unhelpful, but sometimes life-saving, (b) Young people can feel their distress is invalidated by CAMHS, (c) CAMHS makes young people feel responsible for their distress, and (d) Young people may not feel CAMHS professionals are trustworthy. Video content described dismissive responses to expressions of suicidal ideation, professional knowledge being privileged over lived experience, and breaches of confidentiality. Some shared positive experiences of CAMHS helping to keep them safe. Together, the themes reflect a representation of CAMHS as a service where adults are powerful and young people occupy a subjugated position. This may influence young people's professional help-seeking behaviour. Recommendations for clinical practice and future research are presented.

A pilot study: Exploring suicidal ideation among non-offending adults with sexual attraction to minors, through their online forum posts

Summary An emerging field of research seeks to understand the experiences of non-offending adults who experience sexual attraction towards children. Research indicates that this largely hidden population can experience significant mental ill health and suicidal ideation, yet are reluctant to seek professional mental health support. Furthermore, mental ill health has been identified as a factor that can increase the likelihood of offending. This study, undertaken by a social work practitioner researcher, aimed to assist in understanding suicidality factors within this population, and to identify how statutory mental health services could be developed for this client group, thus contributing to child protection and suicide prevention agendas. A qualitative analysis was undertaken of data gathered from an online forum used by adults who have sexual attraction towards children, and are committed to non-offending. The data related to forum members’ experiences of suicidality, and key themes were identified through thematic analysis. Findings The study found that a pattern of suicidal ideation commonly appears to manifest and identified risk and protective factors that can influence suicidality. The benefits of peer support and the strengths and limitations of professional support were also identified. Applications The findings from this study contribute to an improved understanding of this client group for mental health practitioners. The findings also lay the foundation for further investigations, to inform the development of mental health services to facilitate improved outcomes for this client group, and for child protection.

Supporting the Demand on Mental Health Services with AI-Based Conversational Large Language Models (LLMs)

The demand for psychological counselling has grown significantly in recent years, particularly with the global outbreak of COVID-19, which heightened the need for timely and professional mental health support. Online psychological counselling emerged as the predominant mode of providing services in response to this demand. In this study, we propose the Psy-LLM framework, an AI-based assistive tool leveraging large language models (LLMs) for question answering in psychological consultation settings to ease the demand on mental health professions. Our framework combines pre-trained LLMs with real-world professional questions-and-answers (Q&A) from psychologists and extensively crawled psychological articles. The Psy-LLM framework serves as a front-end tool for healthcare professionals, allowing them to provide immediate responses and mindfulness activities to alleviate patient stress. Additionally, it functions as a screening tool to identify urgent cases requiring further assistance. We evaluated the framework using intrinsic metrics, such as perplexity, and extrinsic evaluation metrics, including human participant assessments of response helpfulness, fluency, relevance, and logic. The results demonstrate the effectiveness of the Psy-LLM framework in generating coherent and relevant answers to psychological questions. This article discusses the potential and limitations of using large language models to enhance mental health support through AI technologies.

Barriers to the use of mental health services amongst men in Nigeria and the potential of digital mental health support

ABSTRACT Objective Mental health problems are increasing. Nonetheless, the uptake of professional mental health support remains very low in Nigeria and other African countries, especially among men. This study explored the potential of digital mental health support in eliminating barriers to professional mental health services amongst men in Nigeria. Method Qualitative data were collected between July-August 2022 using an In-depth Interview (IDI) Guide with 24 men aged 18–38. NVivo 12 was employed to assist with the analysis. Results Digital mental health support has the potential to improve acceptance and uptake of professional mental health support services, reduce deterrent factors such as stigma, issues with confidentiality and trust, cost and availability. The use of digital support may also mitigate the nature of masculinity which deters some men from asking for help. Regulations around providing mental health support may improve men’s confidence in seeking professional mental health support. Conclusion Findings highlight the acceptability of digital mental health support for men, and the need for clinical practice regulations.

The role of community services in the treatment of anxiety disorders: a study on residents under psychology

BackgroundAnxiety disorder is a common psychological disorder that seriously affects the quality of life and social function of patients. In addition to medication treatment, community service innovation provides more direct and convenient treatment pathways for patients by providing professional mental health support and resources within the community.Subjects and MethodsThe study focused on a population aged 18 to 70 within a community. Using EEG and Self Rating Anxiety Scale (SAS) tests, 30 individuals were diagnosed with anxiety disorders. These participants were evenly divided into two groups: the experimental group and the control group. The experimental group received anti-anxiety medication treatment alone, while the control group received regular psychological counseling at the community service center in addition to medication. After six months of treatment, the two groups were statistically analyzed for treatment effectiveness using electroencephalogram examination and the SAS test. SPSS23.0 was used for data analysis.ResultsIn the experimental group, 5 patients recovered, 4 patients made significant progress, and 6 patients did not recover. In the control group, 9 people recovered, 6 people made significant progress, and 1 person did not recover. There was a statistically significant difference between the experimental group and the control group, P<0.05.ConclusionsThrough community mental health centers, patients can receive more direct and convenient treatment pathways and mental support, which is of great significance in the treatment of anxiety disorders.

Barriers and Facilitators to Help-Seeking for Mental Health Difficulties Among Professional Jockeys in Ireland

A large proportion of jockeys report symptoms associated with mental health difficulties (MHDs), yet most do not seek help from professional mental health support services. Due to the paucity of literature in this field, this study sought to explore jockeys’ barriers to, and facilitators of, help-seeking for MHDs. Twelve jockeys participated in semistructured interviews, subsequently analyzed via reflexive thematic analysis. Barriers to help-seeking included the negative perceptions of others (stigma and career implications), cultural norms (masculinity and self-reliance), and low mental health literacy (not knowing where to seek help, minimization of MHDs, negative perceptions of treatment, and recognizing symptoms). Facilitators to help-seeking included education (exposure to psychological support at a younger age), social support (from professionals, jockeys, family, and friends), and media campaigns (high-profile disclosures from jockeys). Findings are consistent with barrier and facilitator studies among general and athletic populations. Applied recommendations and future research considerations are presented throughout the manuscript.

Changes in Anxiety and Depression Over the First Year of COVID-19 Pandemic in Philadelphia, PA: Work Characteristics and Mental Health Supports.

We investigated the change in anxiety and depression in a general population cohort over the first year of COVID-19 pandemic in relation to work characteristics and mental health support. We administered questionnaires to a convenience sample in Greater Philadelphia, in summer of 2020 and a year later. With more than 60% response rate, 461 people had repeated measurements. Anxiety declined but depression increased in the cohort after a year of COVID-19 pandemic. Perceived increase in support from family and trade unions, stable employment, and professional mental health support were protective. Depression scores worsened mostly in healthcare, higher education, and manufacturing industries. We observed that while anxiety dissipated over the first year of COVID-19 pandemic, depression worsened, perhaps more so in some industries and where mental health support faltered over time.

The “Strong Black Girl” Dilemma

This article explores the mental health of a group of young Black undergraduate women during the dual pandemics of COVID-19 and gendered anti-Black racism in the U.S. Drawing on intersectionality as a theoretical framework, the research participants reflect on how race and gender interact to shape their struggles and coping strategies during a period of racial unrest and a global health crisis. With support from the African American Policy Forum (AAPF) and using youth participatory action research, the student researchers undertook a qualitative study utilizing focus group discussions to answer the question, How did the dual pandemics impact the mental health practices of young Black women student researchers? The article analyzes their written reflections on their mental health and self-care practices, including barriers and bridges to community and professional mental health support. The research holds implications for scholars and practitioners interested in intersectional research and ethics of care in higher education, as well as mental health advocates committed to protecting Black girls and young women.

One uncertainty added on top of another: Challenges and resources of mothers of preterm infants during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Aims and objectivesTo qualitatively explore COVID-19-related experiences of mothers of preterm infants in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), the main challenges they face, and the resources available for them.BackgroundThe birth of a preterm infant is a stressful event under otherwise normal circumstances. The outbreak of COVID-19, the uncertainty about the virus and how it spreads, and the restrictions imposed, may have exacerbated the stress of caring for a preterm infant.DesignRetrospective interviews.MethodsIn-depth interviews with 12 mothers of preterm infants who were hospitalized in the NICU at the time of study. The interview addressed challenges and resources related to coping with the pandemic. The interviews were transcribed and content analyzed, based on Lieblich et al’s model for narrative analysis. This research was conducted in accordance with the COREQ checklist.ResultsThe overarching experience shared by all mothers was accumulative stress caused by a combination of factors related to the infant’s health and COVID-19-related stressors. A central theme was the dissonance between the mothers’ expectations from the birth and infant, and the reality they encountered. Other themes included fear of infecting the infant, loneliness, and stress caused by the restrictions that disrupted daily routines. Resources included a sense of shared fate regarding the pandemic, improvements in the infant’s condition, religious faith, emotional support from the partner, and support from professional staff.ConclusionCaring for a preterm infant during a pandemic is a challenging experience on many levels. The loss of significant support resources puts mothers of these infants at a higher risk for psychological distress.Relevance to clinical practiceAwareness of mothers’ accumulative stress due to the COVID-19 pandemic may assist the staff in developing procedures that can alleviate parental stress, for example by enabling mothers to connect to each other, giving clear information to compensate for physical and social distancing and providing professional mental health support.

The Relation Between Fear of COVID-19, Burnout Levels of Intensive Care Nurses.

We aimed to examine the relation between the fear of COVID-19 and depression, anxiety and burnout of intensive carenurses. This cross-sectional and descriptive research was conducted with 116 intensive care nurses. The data were obtained with a web-based questionnaire created with the "Descriptive Information Form", "COVID-19 Fear Scale", "Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale Short Form" and "Burnout Short Version". A significant positive correlation was found between depression (r = 0.498, p < .001), anxiety (r = 0.633, p < .001), stress (r = 0.589, p < .001) and burnout (r = 0.299, p = .001) levels of intensive care nurses with a mean age of 30.18 ± 6.55 with the help of the "COVID-19 Fear Scale". It was determined that the mental health of intensive care nurses was at risk and they reached the level of burnout. Intensive care nurses should be supported in understanding the symptoms of psychological problems and in stress management, personal and professional self-care. Receiving professional mental health support when necessary.

Fear of Cancer Recurrence in peritoneal malignancy patients following treatment: a cross-sectional study.

To assess Fear of Cancer Recurrence (FCR)-its prevalence, trajectory, and relationship to several demographic and clinical characteristics, and quality of life-in a sample of peritoneal malignancy survivors, up to 5years post-surgery. The Fear of Cancer Recurrence Inventory-Short Form (FCRI-SF) and 36-Item Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36) were used to collect cross-sectional data from peritoneal malignancy survivors to assess their Fear of Cancer Recurrence and quality of life respectively as well as other demographic and clinical data. The results show that more than two-thirds of the participants (N = 301) experience severe/clinical FCR. FCR is relatively stable over time. Younger patients who are struggling with anxiety or depression or receiving professional mental health support at the time of the surgery are at a higher risk of FCR. FCR is associated with a worse quality of life. Peritoneal malignancy survivors are at a high risk of FCR, and it compromises their psychological, mental, and social well-being (quality of life). Raise awareness about the high risk of FCR in this population and the demographic and clinical factors that are associated with it. Encourage peritoneal malignancy services and health professionals to address FCR in this population by normalizing it and providing support for those struggling with it.

Young mothers’ use of and experiences with mental health care services in Ontario, Canada: a qualitative descriptive study

BackgroundDespite the high prevalence of mental health issues among young mothers, their subsequent needs for mental health care support does not correlate with their access and use of services. The purpose of this study, grounded in the experiences of young mothers living in Ontario, Canada, was to describe their experiences of using mental health services during the perinatal period, and to identify the attributes of services and professionals that influenced their decision to engage with mental health services.MethodsAs the qualitative component of a sequential explanatory mixed methods study, the principles of qualitative description informed sampling, data collection, and analysis decisions. In-depth, semi-structured interviews were conducted with a purposeful sample of 29 young mothers (≤ 21 years) who met diagnostic criteria for at least one psychiatric disorder, and who were ≥ 2 months postpartum. Interview data were triangulated with data from ecomaps and a sub-set of demographic data for this purposeful sample from the survey conducted in the quantitative study component. Qualitative data were analyzed using both conventional content analysis and reflexive thematic analysis; the subset of survey data extracted for these 29 participants were analyzed using descriptive statistics.ResultsYoung mothers identified the need to have at least one individual, either an informal social support or formal service provider who they could talk to about their mental health. Among participants deciding to seek professional mental health support, their hesitancy to access services was grounded in past negative experiences or fears of being judged, being medicated, not being seen as an active partner in care decisions or experiencing increased child protection involvement. Participants identified organizational and provider attributes of those delivering mental health care that they perceived influenced their use of or engagement with services.ConclusionOrganizations or health/social care professionals providing mental health services to young pregnant or parenting mothers are recommended to implement trauma-and violence-informed care. This approach prioritizes the emotional and physical safety of individuals within the care environment. Applying this lens in service delivery also aligns with the needs of young mothers, including that they are actively listened to, treated with respect, and genuinely engaged as active partners in making decisions about their care and treatment.

Help-Seeking and Help-Outreach Intentions of Healthcare Workers—The Role of Mental Health Literacy and Stigma in the Workplace

Due to the demanding work environment, healthcare workers are often affected by mental health problems. Besides negative effects on individual wellbeing, mental health problems can reduce professional effort and increase turnover rates in healthcare. Those who develop mental health problems often receive necessary treatment with a great time delay. Two reasons for this are low mental health literacy and stigma. However, empirical investigations regarding the role of workplace mental health literacy and stigma on help-seeking and help-outreach intentions of healthcare workers in the workplace are currently missing. To bridge this gap, survey data was collected among trainees of different healthcare professions in Germany. The variables of interest were measured separately with the help of two times of measurement to avoid common method bias and to strengthen the causal interpretability of the hypothesized model. The response rate of the questionnaire was 21% (Nt1 = 525, Nt2 = 112). For measuring subjective mental health literacy at the workplace the MHL-W-G was used. Results of the structural equation modeling (SEM) indicate that workplace mental health literacy increases workplace help-seeking intention and help-outreach intention significantly. Further, it indicates that workplace mental health literacy decreases self-stigma and that personal stigma decreases overall workplace help-outreach intention. In order to uncover underlying mechanisms of the relationship between the mental health literacy and workplace help-seeking intention and help-outreach intention, the mediation of mental health stigma was tested, but could not be confirmed. The present study reduces the lack of empirical information regarding mental health help-seeking and help-outreach in the workplace. Therefore, the research contributes to the relevance of social contacts in the working context as potential gatekeepers to professional mental health support. Further, the study provides important insights into the way that mental health help-seeking and help-outreach intentions at the workplace are affected by mental health literacy and into the role of personal and self-stigma in healthcare profession. The results are of particular importance in light of the increased need for healthcare workers and the rising prevalence of mental diseases.

The Wicked Problem of Physician Well-Being.

The collective threat to physician well-being is a complex issue with no clear solution. Even before the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic, physicians suffered from widespread burnout and moral injury, with negative consequences for patient care, physician health, and the health care system. Initial clinician well-being efforts leaned heavily on individual-focused interventions. However, workplace culture and environment are key factors that affect burnout, and therefore clinician well-being efforts require both individual-focused and systems-level interventions. A sustainable culture of support in medicine is necessary to foster physician well-being.

Self-reported mental health status of pregnant women in Sweden during the COVID-19 pandemic: a cross-sectional survey

BackgroundThe COVID-19 pandemic has contributed to unprecedented worries and challenges for pregnant women due to social restrictions and changes in maternity care provision. We aimed to investigate the mental health impact of COVID-19 pandemic on pregnant women in Sweden and explore factors associated with poor perinatal mental health in this specific context.MethodThis was a nation-wide cross-sectional survey of pregnant women living in Sweden. Validated questionnaires were distributed through non-profit organizations´ websites and social media channels from May 2020 to February 2021. Perinatal depression, anxiety, and acute stress reaction were assessed using the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS), Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7) and Impact Event Scale (Revised) (IES-R), respectively. Sociodemographic characteristics and self-perceived mental well-being were also obtained. Factors associated with mental health outcomes were analyzed using multivariate logistic regression model.ResultsAmong a total of 470 participants, 43.2% (n = 203) reported depression (EPDS ≥13), 25.7% (n = 121) moderate to severe anxiety (GAD-7 score ≥ 10), and 23.7% (n = 110) moderate to severe acute stress reaction (IES-R ≥ 33). 27.4% participants (n = 129) expressed concerns regarding their mental well-being during the pandemic. Pregnant mothers who had sick family members reported poorer mental health outcomes than those who did not (median [Interquartile range (IQR)] EPDS scores: 14.0 [8.75–18.0] vs 11.0 [6.25–15.0], p < .001; median (IQR) GAD7 scores: 7.0 [4.0–12.25] vs 6.0 [3.0–9.0], p = .003); median (IQR) IES-R scores: 20.0 [9.0–38.0] vs 15.0 [7.0–30.0], p = .048). Logistic regression analyses revealed that risk factors for poor mental health outcomes were having a sick family member with any illness, unemployment, and experiencing a substantially stressful life event. Having a higher educational level and a younger age during the pandemic were protective.ConclusionDepression and anxiety were highly prevalent among pregnant women in Sweden during the COVID-19 pandemic, indicating a need for professional mental health support for this vulnerable group of population. Unemployment was an associated risk factor whereas younger age and higher educational level were protective suggesting an important role of socio-economic factors in modulating the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on perinatal mental health.

Children’s survivor guilt after the Great East Japan Earthquake and tsunami: a case report

ABSTRACT The Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami struck Japan on 11 March 2011 leaving more than 400,000 people, including 100,000 children, homeless. These displaced children lived in temporary housing and ‘temporarily’ attended schools, which provided them with professional mental health support after the disaster. This paper highlights the role of disaster mental health support teams from Miyagi Prefecture through a problem reported by one of the schools – the excessive feeding of fish by children who narrowly escaped the tsunami. The support team helped schoolteachers understand the perspective of survivor guilt by facilitating a group discussion among the children and exploring their feelings about the disaster, with a focus on the guilt of leaving their pets behind. The authors demonstrate the role of mental health professionals working with schools to help children resolve negative thoughts and feelings during disaster recovery, including the often-overlooked survivor guilt caused by life-threatening events.

‘They need somebody to talk to’: Parents' and carers' perceptions of school‐based humanistic counselling

AbstractParents and carers are likely to take on a significant responsibility for managing an adolescent's mental health and well‐being. Accordingly, their perceptions provide insight into the value of an intervention. This study explored parents' and carers' perceptions and expectations of school‐based humanistic counselling, as received by a socially diverse group of young people (13–16 years old) in secondary schools in Greater London, UK. Semi‐structured interviews from 17 parents and carers were analysed thematically. Two superordinate themes were identified: (a) the context of counselling, and (b) the content of counselling, the latter referring to stages of the therapeutic process and its outcomes. Schools were perceived as an ideal environment for the provision of professional mental health support, as it reaches young people in a natural, convenient setting and therefore promotes and/or widens access to universal support, as well as targeted interventions. Parents and carers further emphasised the importance of overall well‐being, academic performance and social relationships.

Development of the Shift Smartphone App to Support the Emotional Well-Being of Junior Physicians: Design of a Prototype and Results of Usability and Acceptability Testing.

BackgroundJunior physicians report higher levels of psychological distress than senior doctors and report several barriers to seeking professional mental health support, including concerns about confidentiality and career progression. Mobile health (mHealth) apps may be utilized to help overcome these barriers to assist the emotional well-being of this population and encourage help-seeking.ObjectiveThis study describes the development and pilot trial of the Shift mHealth app to provide an unobtrusive avenue for junior physicians to seek information about, and help for, well-being and mental health concerns, which is sensitive to workplace settings.MethodsA 4-phase iterative development process was undertaken to create the content and features of Shift involving junior physicians using the principles of user-centered design. These 4 phases were—needs assessment, on the basis of interviews with 12 junior physicians; prototype development with user experience feedback from 2 junior physicians; evaluation, consisting of a pilot trial with 22 junior physicians to assess the usability and acceptability of the initial prototype; and redesign, including user experience workshops with 51 junior physicians.ResultsQualitative results informed the content and design of Shift to ensure that the app was tailored to junior physicians’ needs. The Shift app prototype contained cognitive behavioral, mindfulness, value-based actions, and psychoeducational modules, as well as a tracking function that visualized patterns of daily variations in mood and health behaviors. Pilot-testing revealed possible issues with the organization of the app content, which were addressed through a thorough restructuring and redesign of Shift with the help of junior physicians across 3 user experience workshops.ConclusionsThis study demonstrates the importance of ongoing end user involvement in the creation of a specialized mHealth app for a unique working population experiencing profession-specific stressors and barriers to help-seeking. The development and pilot trial of this novel Shift mHealth app are the first steps in addressing the mental health and support-seeking needs of junior physicians, although further research is required to validate its effectiveness and appropriateness on a larger scale.

Mental health outcomes and help-seeking behaviours among Egyptian medical students: A cross-sectional study.

Approximately half of the population in Egypt is under the age of 25. Globally, mental illness represents the highest burden of disease in this age group. Yet in Egypt, there is still no youth-specific mental health system in place and the vast majority of young people do not have access to any professional mental health support. The objective of this study was to describe the mental health needs of Egyptian youth and the resources they use when seeking help. An online cross-sectional survey was distributed among medical students at Tanta University in Egypt. Of the 707 individuals who completed the survey (90.9% response rate), 60.5% were female, 62.0% lived in urban and suburban areas, and the mean age of the sample was 20.5 (±1.8) years old. More than half (54%) of the students reported that they had been affected by mental health problems at some point in their lives. Anxiety and depression were the most common problems. Regarding help-seeking behaviours, participants mainly searched the web or spoke to peers and relatives; few reported approaching medical professionals. The majority of participants (59.7%) reported being disappointed with the current mental health care system in Egypt. There is a high prevalence of mental challenges among Egyptian youth and the health care system is not adequately prepared to respond to their needs. E-Mental Health and online interventions seem to be a promising solution that could increase access to mental health services for Egyptian youth.