The mental health association and prevention

Summary

The history of the Mental Health Association's involvement in prevention is described. From its inception in 1909 the Association has played a key role in advocating for prevention. It contributed to the Child Guidance Center movement, the community mental health center movement, and helped focus the 1978 President's Commission on Mental Health on prevention. In recent years, it has served as the catalyst for the formation of a coalition of national organizations with an interest in prevention.     

Urban planning and mental health

Abstract

Both the product and the process of city planning have been shown to have an influence on mental health. This paper presents a model of the process through which community design characteristics influence mental health. The model emphasizes the importance of local social interaction and physical stimulation, as well as adjustment mechanisms used to dampen stress resulting from undesirable levels of interaction and stimulation. The research on the relationship between four community design characteristics and social interaction, stimulation and mental health is then reviewed. An argument for the importance of citizen participation is also presented, stressing the influence of participation on both sense of control and the development of social support. Commonly employed participation techniques, however, differ in their ability to affect support and control. Neighborhood council programs are identified as having the greatest potential for influencing sense of control and social support. Finally the obstacles to improving community design and specific recommendations for the prevention of environmentally induced mental health problems are presented.     

Breaking Fresh Ground

ABSTRACT

In the present paper, the author introduces her roles and duties at her current job. The author then describes how she got into community psychology and primary prevention and how her graduate school and previous work experiences have influenced her current work. Focusing on primary prevention, the author delineates how the two community psychology concepts -primary prevention and action research -can be applied to the promotion of adolescent mental health in the Korean society. The author then adds advice for foreign students who are considering studying community psychology in the U.S.     

Chapter 9: The Use of Law for Prevention in the Public Interest

Summary

One of the most important functions of law and the legal system is to prevent harm by regulating conduct prospectively. Almost all law—whether in the form of a statute enacted by a legislative body or a judgment decreed by a court—is designed, at least in part, to avoid some socially undesirable future state of affairs. This chapter explores some of the more significant ways in which lawmaking (both legislative and judicial) may be regarded as a form of prevention and the legal system may be used for prevention in the public interest. Although the chapter focuses on litigation and legislation of particular interest to those in the fields of mental health and mental retardation, the legal processes and principles described extend to many other areas of law with implications for promoting health and preventing harm.     

Differences in Psychosocial Factors Among Older and Younger Homeless Adolescents Found in Youth Shelters

SUMMARY

Protocol compliance, or the degree to which the delivery of mental health interventions conforms to written protocols described in manuals or outlines, is hypothesized to play an important role in mediating intervention outcomes. This paper summarizes protocol compliance assessment and data for four controlled outcome trials of adolescent depression treatment or prevention. Discussion focuses on issues pertinent to the association between fidelity and outcome, such as the unit of analysis, group versus individual interventions, the benefits and drawbacks of maximizing intervention fidelity in outcome trials, and the interaction between trial type (effectiveness vs. efficacy studies) and control over protocol compliance.     

Socioeconomic Status and Behavior Problems

Abstract

Violence in the schools is a fundamental concern for students, educators and communities as they collectively address issues that make schools safer. A longitudinal analysis of disciplinary referrals was conducted with a large countywide school district to measure differences across socioeconomic status and school level. These variables proved to be critical in identifying and targeting schools that may need to be the focus of prevention and intervention efforts. Other suggestions related to the effects of school violence on academic instruction and methods for the targeting of services are discussed along with implications for educators and mental health professionals in school based settings.     

A Principle-Based Psychology of School Violence Prevention

Abstract

This paper proposes that school violence is primarily a function of the typically poor mental health of at-risk students. It asserts therefore, that the most leveraged solution to this vexing problem is for school personnel to teach these students how to re-kindle and experience their birthright of optimal psychological functioning. It suggests that this goal can best be achieved by helping both teachers and students understand a unique principle-based psychology that purports to account for all youthful perception, feelings and behavior. The three principles of this psychology (i.e., Mind, Consciousness, and Thought) are defined, classroom conditions conducive to teaching youth these principles delineated, contemporary research supporting the major assumptions of this paradigm summarized, and the results of school violence prevention programs based on this psychology presented.     

School Violence Interventions in the Safe Schools/Healthy Students Initiative

Abstract

The Safe Schools/Healthy Students Initiative was designed to encourage collaboration among school districts and local community service providers in the provision of behavioral health prevention and early intervention efforts. These efforts would address the physical safety of students as well as provide mental health, violence prevention, and social skills services. One local SS/HS Initiative brought together community and school collaborators in an ambitious agenda that included 14 distinct programs that addressed the needs of over 110,000 students in a large school district. The purpose of the current paper is to report the results of the evaluation of two of the programs designed to reduce violent and disruptive behavior in schools. The programs include a school-based anger management program and a community-based, alternative-to-suspension program. Working in cooperation with program staff and the school district, quasi-experimental designs were used to measure change over time for students. The two studies demonstrate the application of multiple methodologies in evaluating the effectiveness of prevention and early intervention efforts with the aim of providing data to support program improvement and sustainability.     

From Welfare State to Welfare Society

Summary

Within the area of health and social welfare the Danish state has recently made a new approach to prevention and problem-solving. The goal was to promote innovation and social inventions on a local and citizen-oriented level through public funds. In this paper we will focus on a special program called “Social Development Program” (SUM), running from 1988 until the end of 1991. The program can be seen as a new trend in Danish welfare policy turning from an almost solely welfare state policy to a welfare society policy involving municipalities, voluntary organizations, and the users themselves. Another trend is the emergence of a voluntary initiative started on a citizen basis-self-help groups. They have had great impact on the way of viewing the preventive capacity and the helping ability among lay people.     

School Mental Health's Response to Terrorism and Disaster

Abstract

The events of September 11,2001, have underscored the mental health needs of youth and families, and amplified the advantages of proactively bringing a range of mental health services to them, where they are, in natural settings such as schools. Further, there is increasing momentum for the enhancement of coordinated and comprehensive school-based approaches that seek to effectively respond to significant crises such as terrorist attacks and disaster. This article explores key themes related to school mental health's response to terrorism and disaster. Following review of background literature on child and adult reactions to trauma, we discuss the development of crisis response teams, and present a range of strategies for schools to respond to crises and disaster. The experiences of one elementary school in responding to the events of September 11 are presented, followed by review of critical challenges facing schools and school mental health programs in improving their ability to respond to significant crises.     

Building Community Coalitions with People with Disabilities and Their Families

Summary

This chapter describes the processes believed to affect the performance of regional economies and the mechanisms that might connect these processes to the etiology of behavioral disorder. The initial findings of a major study of these linkages will also be summarized (based on Catalan &; Dooley, 1983; Dooley &; Catalano, 1984a, 1984b). The implications of this literature for economic policy and for the provision of mental health services are also surveyed.     

Mental Health Treatment Experiences and Expectations in Foster Care: A Qualitative Investigation

This study explores perspectives on mental health treatment experiences and expectations for youth in foster care and their foster parents. In-depth interviews were conducted and identified for major themes: (1) the dual stigma of foster care and mental health care; (2) the lack of engagement in mental health therapy; (3) trust issues with the therapist and other individuals; and (4) the desire to integrate mental health services with primary care services. These results have implications for mental health service delivery and suggest opportunities to improve mental health treatment through an integrated care approach.     

Evaluation of an Incentive System at a Summer Camp for Youth Experiencing Homelessness

SUMMARY

Children who are homeless often experience emotional and behavioral problems. They also may have difficulty interacting with peers. Programs designed to reward positive behaviors may be successful in improving behavioral functioning for children experiencing emotional distress due to homelessness and related risk factors. Families experiencing homelessness may have a difficult time accessing mental health services. School settings may be optimal environments for implementing programs to improve behavioral and social development for these children. In this paper, we describe the implementation and outcomes of an incentive system, developed to improve school behaviors and interactions for children experiencing homelessness. This system was implemented during a summer camp designed to enrich reading skills. Teachers and aides administered bracelets as secondary reinforcers for positive and prosocial behaviors. Children could purchase primary reinforcers, such as toys and art supplies, with the bracelets. Results were positive, supporting project activities. Future programs and evaluation projects should focus on delivering and evaluating prevention and therapy services for youth experiencing homelessness.     

References

Summary

The development and present status of the field of prevention is described. Concrete, representative examples are provided to show that global and specific sociocultural factors determine the process that is connecting two fields in Poland—prevention and health psychology. Special attention is provided to barriers and facilitators to the development of prevention activities.     

Religious Factors in Physical Health and the Prevention of Illness

Summary

Many scientists often assume that religious preference and involvement have little effect on physical health, or that, if such effects exist, few studies have addressed this issue. In actuality, there is a long tradition of empirical research on the interconnections of religion and physical health. Theoretical speculation as to the reasons for such a salutary effect of religious belief or involvement has been prominent in the writings of distinguished scholars and physicians past and present. Furthermore, the existence of such religion-health connections is a nearly universal feature within the cosmologies of religious traditions and is supported by empirical evidence from various scientific disciplines. This essay surveys religious factors in physical health, discussing why religious indicators should be significantly related to health status, critically reviewing key empirical evidence, offering explanations for such findings, and noting their implications for the prevention of illness.     

The Status of Preventive Care for the Aged

Abstract

One response to the growing needs of the elderly is to expand the scope of preventive care from the younger and middle aged cohorts to include an emphasis on preventive care for older people. In the past it has been difficult to consider prevention and aging as concepts which could co-exist because we can neither cure nor prevent aging. The potential of preventive care to improve, maintain, or lessen decline in the quality of life of the elderly has not been included in the definition or mainstream of prevention activities. This study identifies and reviews research and programmatic activities which have been reported in the literature over the last ten years in the area of prevention and aging. Topical areas and methodological approaches are explored to define what has been considered appropriate preventive care for the elderly. An evaluation process, meta-analysis, is used to assess the therapeutic effect and overall effectiveness of techniques in prevention and aging. These findings can be used in formulating future initiatives related to aging and prevention.     

The Family Therapist in the Courts

SUMMARY

This article describes the Parent Education and Custody Effectiveness Program (P.E.A.C.E.), a series of interdisciplinary educational seminars for persons going through the divorce process; reports on the results of three P.E.A.C.E. Program pilot studies that occurred in New York State; and describes the crucial role of mental health professionals in this program.     

Quality Assurance of Self-Help Sites on the Internet

Abstract

One of the most common uses of the Internet is to access health and mental health information. While thousands of Websites have been developed to provide consumers with health and mental health information, little has been done regarding assuring the quality of the material provided. This article presents the quality assurance assessment findings of 80 Websites that provide consumers information on common DSM-IV psychiatric disorders. The results of this assessment found a number of concerns: (1) a lack of evidence of qualified authors; (2) a lack of any formal review, or existence of a review board; (3) a lack of timely updating of the Website material; (4) potential conflicts of interest with advertisements; (5) average readability indexes at the 11.2 grade reading level; and (6) a paucity of Websites that use any evidence of behavior change theories. The authors recommend a standards be established to assure quality of the self-help information provided on the Internet. Furthermore, the authors encourage future Web based self-help efforts to apply the embedded power of the Internet to offer interactive, theory-driven educational interventions to not only improve knowledge, but also behavior.     

An Examination of Strategies for the Prevention of Gender-Based Violence at Four-Year Institutions of Higher Education

ABSTRACT

Although gender-based violence prevention programs at institutions of higher education (IHEs) are mandated by federal legislation, research focusing on the prevalence or content of programming is limited. The present exploratory research examines campus websites for a nationally representative sample of Title IX eligible IHEs that offer at least a four-year degree (n = 389), assessing whether IHEs offer prevention programs and whether programs include information cited in federal legislation or adhere to best practices. Differences in programming are also examined across IHE types. Results demonstrate that most IHEs report offering prevention pro- grams (86%), but that differences do exist across IHE type: 97% of public nonprofit IHEs report programming compared to 46% of tribal institutions. Disparities also exist across IHE types regarding the content of programming. Results highlight the need to advance prevention programming to better align with “what works” in prevention science or what is expected by federal legislation.