Special Roles of Mental Health Professionals in Self-Help Group Development

Provision of services to self-help/mutual aid groups is a natural outgrowth of the goals, objectives and activities of consultation and education (C & E) departments of community mental health centers. The C & E services of the Ravenswood Community Mental Health Center has, during the past several years, provided several forms of assistance to a variety of developing and established self-help groups in the Chicago area. Through this experience, the roles of mental health professionals in facilitating the development and maintenance of self-help groups have been explored. The provision of assistance at several stages of group development without challenging the autonomy and voluntary nature of self-help groups is a basic requirement for all professionals involved in group development. With careful recognition of the needs and nature of such groups, mutually satisfactory long-term relationships can be established between self-help groups and mental health professionals.     

Stepping Off the Sidewalk

Abstract

By using data collected via Web-based trend analysis regarding the identification of next-visited Internet sites, this article helps to identify the specific privacy issues children face while exploring child-oriented and adult-oriented Websites. As use of the Internet has escalated dramatically, the complexity, criticality, and pervasiveness of technological issues have also risen. The protection of personal privacy (especially for children) is a prime example of the new issues presented by the expansion of the information age.     

THE ROLE OF A SELF-HELP CLEARINGHOUSE

As the number of self-help groups continues to proliferate, the formation of an umbrella body is suggested. A Self-Help Clearinghouse would serve as such an umbrella through the establishment of an information, referral and research service for mutual aid groups in an area. It would also be available to offer technical assistance to existing groups and assistance in the formation of new self-help groups. As a prevention service, it can be integrated into a comprehensive community mental health service system or operated under other auspices. In either case, it is a barometer of community stressors and offers great promise in strengthening social supports, coping skills, and competence provided by self-help groups.     

Rapid assessment of existing HIV prevention programming in a community mental health center

In preparation for implementation of a comprehensive HIV prevention program in a Community Mental Health Center for persons with mental illness who are also abusing substances, a rapid assessment procedure (RAP) of existing prevention services that may have developed in the setting over time was undertaken at baseline. In addition to an ecological assessment of the availability of HIV-related information that was available on-site, in-depth interviews and focus groups were conducted with Center administrators, direct-care staff, and mental health consumers. Results indicated that responses regarding available services differed depending upon type of respondent, with administration reporting greater availability of preventive programs and educational materials than did direct-care staff or mental health consumers themselves. But overall, formalized training on HIV prevention by case managers is extremely rare. Case managers felt that other providers, such as doctors or nurses, were more appropriate to deliver an HIV prevention intervention.     

SELF-HELP PARTICIPATION AND QUALITY OF LIFE:

This report explores mental health outcomes reported by the self-help group leaders and administrators of Recovery, Inc.: The Association of Nervous and Former Mental Patients. Following Campbell (1976), both global and domain-specific quality of life indicators are used as measures of mental health. The contributions of the leader's income, health history, and Recovery career variables are also examined and the general findings are compared to a normative population. The data indicates that Recovery participation is associated with positive mental status reports, particularly in global self-ratings. Residual areas requiring supplementary human service intervention are specified.     

Chapter 14: Self-Help Group Participation Among People with Severe Mental Illness

SUMMARY

An experimental design was attempted to test the effectiveness of self-help group participation among people with severe and long-standing mental illnesses. A sample of 90 individuals was randomized to either experimental or control groups with experimentals invited to join self-help groups and given outreach to encourage participation. Control subjects were not invited to join self-help groups. Results showed low rates of 17% participation in the self-help groups for both experimental and control subjects. The small number of experimental subjects participating and the presence of cross-overs from the control group yielded a sample too small for statistical analyses and the experiment was ended. Post hoc analyses comparing subjects who participated in self-help (15), non-participating subjects (75) and a comparison group of existing self-help group members (90) showed participants to have more severe psychiatric symptoms than either non-participants or members. Participating subjects were more likely to be female, though the self-help groups had more male members. Results indicate the need for multi-site studies in self-help group research.     

PROFESSIONAL ATTITUDES,AWARENESS AND USE OF SELF-HELP GROUPS

The aim of this project was to contribute information on an important aspect of the self-help movement: the nature of its relationship with professional mental and physical health practitioners. Focusing on the professions of psychology, social work, psychiatry, medicine and nursing, the goal was to ascertain the degree to which these professionals were aware of selected self-help groups in Toronto, the extent to which they used them and their attitudes toward these self-help groups. Data obtained from 308 professionals indicated that they have some degree of familiarity with self-help groups in the community, are prepared to inform their clients about groups which may be helpful to them, are prepared to make referrals to such groups and hold favorable attitudes toward such groups.     

Chapter 11: Social Climate Correlates of Effectiveness in Alliance for the Mentally Ill Groups

SUMMARY

To examine how various social climate characteristics predict group effectiveness (i.e., overall strength, and benefits and satisfaction members experience) in Alliance for the Mentally Ill (AMI) mutual help groups, information on the group climate and effectiveness of all 22 AMI affiliates in Indiana was gathered using two independent procedures: (1) rank-and-file members from each affiliate (N = 221) provided demographic information and completed Maton's (1988) 43-item measure of social climate (including perceived benefits and satisfaction), and (2) affiliate leaders supplied information on the human and material resources available to their groups plus an overall assessment of the group's current strength. From both member and leader perspectives, social climate experiences of members were strong predictors of AMI group effectiveness, while material resources and member demographics were not. Support Received, Leadership, and Order/organization were especially important, while extramural contact among members was consistently unrelated to group effectiveness. Efforts to initiate and/or increase the effectiveness of AMI groups should focus on the leadership, internal structure, support activities, and role opportunities provided to members.     

Chapter 9: Partnerships Between Health Professionals and Self-Help Groups

SUMMARY

The study aimed to identify the meanings and mechanisms of partnership between health professionals and self-help group members. The three project stages involved in-depth individual interviews of professionals (n = 47) and of members (n = 49) using a semistructured interview guide; separate group interviews of professionals and members to rank themes which emerged in Phase I, and a joint professional/member workshop. A Partnership Framework was developed. The predominant partnership characteristics identified by professionals were egalitarian, flexible, decreased professional control, understanding and shared goals; and by members were trusting, reciprocal, shared goals, flexible and understanding. The five critical obstacles to partnerships, from professionals' standpoint were communication, attitudes, role ambiguity, the format health care system and ideological conflicts, and from self-help groups' perspectives were knowledge, the system, skills deficiency, attitudes and ideological conflicts. The foremost mechanisms for achieving partnership according to health professionals involved education, clearinghouses, and role and goal clarification; to self-help group members, they entailed trust building, communication building, and education. [Note: italics denote consensus by professionals and members.]     

防范消费卡式消费合同风险的法律对策

当今,消费卡式消费合同日渐走入消费者的日常生活,其消费行为的稳定、简便、时尚吸引了众多商家和消费者,但由于缺乏相应的法律监管,给一些不法商家提供了可乘之机,侵害了消费者的合法权益。因此,应加强对消费卡式消费合同的法律监管,明确规范消费卡的发行、使用以及资金安全保障等方面的行为,防范消费卡式消费合同的风险,从而更好地保护消费者的合法权益。     

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.     

Off-Campus,Harmful Online Student Speech

Abstract

This article discusses issues related to off-campus, harmful student speech on the Internet. The article explores the characteristics of this harmful speech, including (a) the speech originates off-campus. It has been created and disseminated without the use of school computers or Internet capabilities; (b) the speech has a school nexus. The speech relates to the district, the school, board members, administrators, teachers, or other students; (c) the speech is defamatory, constitutes bullying, harassment, or discrimination, discloses personal information, or contains offensive, vulgar, or derogatory comments; (d) the speech may occur in a variety of Internet locations. It may appear on a student-created Website, material posted to a Web log (“blogs”), or may be disseminated via some form of Internet communication, including e-mail, bulletin boards, chat, instant messaging and the like; and (e) the creator and disseminator of such speech is or appears to be a student.     

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.     

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.     

中国农村生殖健康领域社会性别行为量表的发展

为了对中国县区级计划生育/生殖健康领域的服务对象和服务提供者的社会性别角色行为进行评价,本文基于中国农村生殖健康领域的现实背景,采用了文献研究、访谈、专家评议以及心理计量的方法,分别发展了适用于中国县区级计划生育/生殖健康领域的服务对象和服务提供者社会性别行为量表(GBRHS-SC和GBRHS-SP),并于2005年6月在中国东部1个县区601个农村服务对象的样本和541个服务提供者的样本中测试了量表的心理计量学特征,发现GBRHS-SC具有较好的内部一致性信度和建构效度,GBRHS-SP具有较好的内部一致性信度,但是在建构效度方面还需要得到进一步改进和验证。     

论电子商务中消费者权利体系的构造

电子商务发展过程中出现的种种损害消费者权益的情形给现行消费者权益保护的立法和实践带来了严重挑战。如何保护电子商务中的消费者合法权益,增强消费者信心,促进我国网络经济的健康发展,成为当前人们面临的迫切问题。因此,通过立法手段确保网络消费者与传统消费者享有同样的权益保障,构建一套完整的网络消费者的权利体系是网络经济时代人们面临的紧迫任务。     

Developing a Graduate Program in Community Psychology

Abstract

The present health care system is fragmented, uncoordinated, and too costly for the chronically ill, elderly patient. Project OPEN provides preventive health and social services in order to reduce costs and provide more effective care. This alternative delivery system is based on a consortium brokerage model which provides functional assessment, care plan development and service coordination. A randomized sample of 338 elderly individuals participated in a time series experiment. Client functional status, service utilization, and all health costs were collected for six months. The results indicated a maintenance in functioning levels, a decrease in acute hospitalizations, and a 20% reduction in health care costs for the demonstration participants as compared to the control group. Project OPEN provided more effective care while simultaneously reducing health expenditures to the chronically ill elderly.     

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.