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.     

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.     

EPILEPSY SELF-HELP GROUPS:

Two sequential cases of professional-self-help/mutual aid collaboration are described. The first was a federally funded demonstration project to develop epilepsy self-help groups in 15 cities. It involved a "mixed strategy" of national and local collaboration, where decision-making, and problem solving was vested in persons with epilepsy. The second related case was the "action learning workshop" that combined research with extension work. Knowledge about self-help group development and persons with epilepsy was advanced at the same time that a national network and alliance of epilepsy self-help groups was developed.     

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 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.]     

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.     

试论人类社会超越必然王国的路向——社会形态的发展何为自然历史过程

社会形态的发展是自然历史过程的原因,并非如以往所解释的那样──根源于生产力的发展受外在自然的制约,而主要在于生产关系是受内在自然(人的自然)所决定的人的物质需要的满足形式。在生产力高度发展的基础上,人们才能不再被物欲所束缚,摆脱内在自然的支配而获得自由。这样,社会形态的发展也就超越了自然历史过程,迈进自由王国。     

哈尼族梯田文化的内涵、成因与特点

哈尼族梯田文化是哀牢山地区哈尼族在漫长历史发展进程中以梯田为主要物质载体、以梯田生产生活为核心创造的物质财富和精神财富总和。其内涵丰厚、独特,其成因有特定的自然地理和历史人文因素,其特点可概括为"历史悠久、内涵丰厚,分布广袤、景观壮丽,天人合一、持续发展"。     

MUTUAL-HELP GROUPS:

Members of 18 self-help groups in Canada were surveyed as to the benefits of participation in mutual help groups and the roles for professionals in such groups. Three distinctions are made among mutual help groups: (1) those dealing with loss-transition (L-T), (2) those with members one step removed (OSR) from the problem, and (3) groups for stress, coping and support (SC&S). Members in OSR groups feel they benefit significantly more from participation than SC&S group members, while many L-T members feel they could get along well without the group if they had to. Members of SC&S groups tend to favor indirect involvement of professionals and see professional help and mutual help as complementary, more than do members of L-T and OSR groups. The traditional health care system is found to ignore the needs of L-T and OSR group members; mutual help thus provides a critical source of support and education for these people.     

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.     

社会主义核心价值体系构建中的核心价值范导主体

中国共产党28年的革命史,既是根据中国国情和革命发展的需要,不断调整核心价值体系,调动和激励广大人民革命热情的历史,也是中国共产党及其领导的军队靠真信、真行,引导和影响人们的理想信仰和道德水准的历史。社会主义核心价值体系与资本主义核心价值体系的根本区别,在于各自与人的自然本能、自然需要、自然价值取向的关系不同。从价值范导机制上看,社会主义核心价值体系的不同层面对应着不同的社会群体,需要有对应性范导主体;在全社会范围内,社会主义核心价值体系的建构则离不开核心范导主体。     

核桃产业与漾濞核桃发展现象

漾濞得益于其独特的自然条件,拥有上千年的核桃产业的发展历史。该文阐述了漾濞核桃的发展进程,剖析了该县成功种植核桃的经验,并对这一产业的未来市场前景作了规划。     

Chapter 13: Workshop on “Good Practice” in the Collaboration Between Professionals and Mutual Aid Groups

SUMMARY

The workshop's purpose was to initiate a dialogue concerning “good practice” issues in research and collaboration with mutual aid groups with the long range goal of developing ethical guidelines for professionals and for mutual aid organizations. Participants represented mutual aid groups, professionals and self-help clearinghouses. Three of the topic areas addressed during the workshop were analysed from the perspectives of the professionals: respecting the autonomy, integrity and unique culture of each group, ensuring that guidelines for confidentiality are adhered to, and respecting experiential knowledge. From the perspectives of mutual aid organizations, preserving autonomy and self-determination, incorporating new information and maintaining confidentiality were also discussed.     

西方权利发展背后的伦理因子

权利发展与伦理变迁息息相关.西方权利发展的历程--从等级权利观到平等权利观、从神学权利观到世俗权利观、从自然权利观到实在权利观、从集体权利至上到个人权利本位,无一不烙有伦理变迁的印记.西方权利发展的历史可以说是伦理变迁的历史.在历史上,有什么样的伦理观,就有什么样的权利观.权利现象的不同历史类型,实际上也是伦理观的不同历史类型.     

区域环境变迁与经济文化历史演进之互动--以陕甘宁地区为例

本文以陕甘宁地区区域文化的历史内涵及其发展过程自然环境--经济活动--文化变迁这一主线,着力探讨了在中国北方农牧民族对峙的社会背景下,与该地区特殊的自然环境条件(包括后期人为产生的条件)密切相关的边塞文化发展的某些特征.     

论马克思自然观的当代价值

马克思主义理论博大精深,自然观是其中极为重要的思想,在当代生态环境危机日益严重的今天,重新审视马克思的自然观非常必要。文章通过对马克思自然概念的历史考察,诠释了马克思自然观的基本内容：人在自然界中具有双重地位、人与自然的发展是相互协调发展、人与自然的关系和人与人的关系是内在统一的;并分析了马克思生态自然观对我国生态文明建设的理论价值和实践意义。     

香格里拉民族生态旅游的设计与实践--来自云南省中甸县霞给村的研究报告

生态旅游是未来旅游业发展的方向,民族生态旅游接待示范村是生态旅游开发的一种有效途径.中甸霞给村的开发模式,既能让旅游者饱览丰富的自然生态景观,又能欣赏到浓郁的民族风情,领略悠久的历史文化,同时还能有效地保护生态环境,使当地的居民在经济上得到收益.     

可持续发展与产业结构创新

本文认为,人类文明的演替与社会进步从来都是与产业结构的创新密切相连与互动的.传统产业结构(三次产业)是在强调对自然的索取以增加经济总量的历史条件下形成的,这种产业结构一方面推动着人类文明(农业文明与工业文明)的发展,另一方面又给人类的生存与发展带来诸多的如资源与环境等发展危机.可持续发展概念的提出源于对过去传统发展模式的反思,因此它要求重新审视传统的产业结构.作者认为,面向可持续发展,应补充以维护与改善环境为目的的第零产业,和以减少废物排放为目的的第四产业,并在此基础上构建新的产业结构体系.与传统产业的形成比较,现阶段第零产业与第四产业的培育更需要观念创新与制度创新.     

控制论视阈中的先进文化

作为特殊意识形态的自然科学技术,无论从社会演进的宏观动力机制看,还是从其微观动力机制看,都对社会发展具有决定性作用。社会意识形态虽然在宏观动力机制上处于从属的地位,但从微观动力机制上考察,对历史进程发展的迟速则具有决定性意义。