Viewing Cognitive Conflicts as Dilemmas: Implications for Mental Health

The idea that internal conflicts play a significant role in mental health has been extensively addressed in various psychological traditions, including personal construct theory. In the context of the latter, several measures of conflict have been operationalized using the Repertory Grid Technique (RGT). All of them capture the notion that change, although desirable from the viewpoint of a given set of constructs, becomes undesirable from the perspective of other constructs. The goal of this study is to explore the presence of cognitive conflicts in a clinical sample (n = 284) and compare it to a control sample (n = 322). It is also meant to clarify which among the different types of conflict studied provides a greater clinical value and to investigate its relationship to symptom severity (SCL-90-R). Of the types of cognitive conflict studied, implicative dilemmas were the only ones to discriminate between clinical and nonclinical samples. These dilemmas were found in 34% of the nonclinical sample and in 53% of the clinical sample. Participants with implicative dilemmas showed higher symptom severity, and those from the clinical sample displayed a higher frequency of dilemmas than those from the nonclinical sample.     

Foster Children Caught in Loyalty Conflicts: Implications for Mental Health Treatment Providers

Fifty-two foster parents participated in a two-hour training on the topic of children caught in loyalty conflicts. Prior to and following the training attendees completed measures including one in which they rated their foster children's exposure to 15 different family situations which research indicates are likely to induce feelings of loyalty conflict in children. Analyses of these data indicate that each of the situations was endorsed by between one fourth and one half of the sample. Three-fourths of the foster parents endorsed at least one of the situations, with the average number 5.5. Implications for clinicians working with this population are discussed.     

The Sabbath: Implications for Mental Health

Jewish tradition established the Sabbath as a special day. Its observance was both part of a religious tradition and an example of psychological health. The author explores the values and attitudes that underlie Sabbath observance, identifies some of the themes and behaviors most characteristic of these observances, and relates these to current mental health practices.     

Social Neuroscience: Progress and Implications for Mental Health

ABSTRACT— Social neuroscience is a new, interdisciplinary field devoted to understanding how biological systems implement social processes and behavior. Social neuroscience capitalizes on biological concepts and methods to inform and refine theories of social behavior, and it uses social and behavioral constructs and data to inform and refine theories of neural organization and function. We focus here on the progress and potential of social neuroscience in the area of mental health. Research in social neuroscience has grown dramatically in recent years. Among the most active areas of research we found are brain-imaging studies in normal children and adults; animal models of social behavior; studies of stroke patients; imaging studies of psychiatric patients; and research on social determinants of peripheral neural, neuroendocrine, and immunological processes. We also found that these areas of research are proceeding along largely independent trajectories. Our goals in this article are to review the development of this field, examine some currently promising approaches, identify obstacles and opportunities for future advances and integration, and consider how this research can inform work on the diagnosis and treatment of mental disorders.     

Spiritual Maturity and Mental Health: Implications for Counseling

Evidence was found to support the validity of Genia's (1997) spiritual maturity typology. Participants (N = 256) were categorized as spiritually growth-oriented, transitional, dogmatic, or underdeveloped. Those in the underdeveloped and dogmatic groups seemed to be more emotionally distressed than those in the growth oriented group. The authors also formed a group, based on scores above the mean on both the Dissociation Scale and the Sexual Abuse Trauma Index (SATI) of the Trauma Symptom Checklist-40 (TSC-40; Elliott & Briere, 1992), that they hypothesized were traumatized in childhood. They found that those individuals, compared to the nontraumatized persons, experienced lower levels of spiritual support and were more symptomatic on mental health measures. The traumatized women, especially, experienced psychological distress, particularly in areas of depression, anxiety, and sexual problems. Although trauma generally was associated negatively with spiritual development, some traumatized persons also scored among the spiritually growth oriented, suggesting that such trauma is not associated in all cases with a detrimental effect in the process of spiritual development.     

Regulating Research for the Decisionally Impaired: Implications for Mental Health Professionals

Mental health professionals, in fulfilling their different roles, often become involved with research protocols involving decisionally impaired current or prospective human subjects, many of whom are elderly. The opening section of this paper briefly describes the present regulatory environment regarding human subjects research, followed by an overview of the Institutional Review Board (IRB) process. There then ensues an enumeration of some of the general criticisms of the current regulatory scheme that have been enunciated recently. Particular concerns concerning decisionally impaired persons as research subjects are then addressed, referring when applicable to the recommendations made by the National Bioethics Advisory Commission (NBAC) in its 1998 report on this subject and the implications of those recommendations for mental health professionals.     

我国精神卫生政策执行困境研究

通过模糊-冲突理论分析我国精神卫生政策执行困境,为推进精神卫生政策的有效实施提供理论依据。发现我国精神卫生政策的模糊性较低,但冲突性显著,政策执行的冲突性主要表现在观念差异、职业认同冲突、利益协同冲突三方面。因此,我国精神卫生政策执行属于政治性执行,其支配性因素为“权力”,政策执行过程存在一定程度的“形式主义”和“变通执行”。建议从完善政策设计、建立健全配套措施、保障政策执行资源等方面促进精神卫生政策有效实施。

     

Predictors of Mental Health Among College Students in Guam: Implications for Counseling

The authors investigated sociodemographic predictors of the mental health status of college students (N = 308) in Guam. Results indicated prevalence rates of 17.8%, 40.2%, and 25.6% for moderate or more severe levels of depression, anxiety, and stress, respectively. Psychological distress was found to be predicted by gender, ethnicity, living arrangement, and academic level. Comparisons with college students in the U.S. mainland and Hong Kong were also examined. Implications for counseling services and strategies are discussed.     

Helicopter Parenting and Emerging Adult Self-Efficacy: Implications for Mental and Physical Health

Helicopter parenting has become an increasing concern among practitioners, college administrators, and professors. Further, some research has indicated that this form of parenting may have a deleterious effect on emerging adult college students’ mental health. This study examines the factor structure of the Helicopter Parenting Behaviors measure, a recent scale developed to examine intrusive and supportive parenting behaviors, by using confirmatory factor analysis. We utilized a self-determination theoretical framework to replicate and expand current research regarding the impact of helicopter parenting and autonomy supportive parenting on emerging adult mental and physical well-being. Further, we examined self-efficacy as a mechanism for helicopter parenting and autonomy supportive parenting to impact well-being, using structural equation modeling with a sample of 461 emerging adult college students from a large southeastern, United States university. The two-factor structure of the Helicopter Parenting Behaviors measure was confirmed, indicating helicopter parenting and autonomy supportive parenting are two unique, but related, constructs. Both autonomy supportive parenting and helicopter parenting were found to have indirect effects on anxiety, depression, life satisfaction, and physical health through self-efficacy. Results also indicated autonomy supportive parenting was directly related to life satisfaction and physical health when accounting for self-efficacy, whereas helicopter parenting was not directly related to well-being. This study adds to the extant literature by its’ application of a family-level lens to the self-determination theory, its’ advancement of parenting behaviors measurement, and its’ exploration of the continued influence of parenting during emerging adulthood.     

认知年老化和老年心理健康

认知功能和心理健康是健康老龄化的两个基本要素。认知功能随年老而加速减退,其机制的探讨表明,加工速度、工作记忆和执行功能在认知年老过程中均起重要的中介作用。大多数老年人的心理健康状况较好、生活满意度较高,其心态随年龄的增高而更趋于平静满足,但独居和绝对空巢老人的某些心理健康问题不容忽视。认知年老化过程和老年人的心理健康状况分别受诸多因素的影响,研究结果为延缓认知功能的年老减退和保持老年人的心理健康,以及实现健康老龄化和积极老龄化提供了有益的启示     

Dyadic Influence of Adverse Childhood Experiences: Counseling Implications for Mental and Relational Health

Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) predict physical and mental health. We examined dyadic differences in intimate partner relationship health by ACE score among couples with low to moderate income enrolled in a relationship education program. Overall, we found a high prevalence of ACEs, disproportionate representation in the highest risk ACE group, and a significant effect between ACEs and indicators of mental and relational health. Implications for counselors include support for an ACE‐informed approach to couples counseling services, as well as a holistic and systemic view of mental and relational health.     

Parent-School and Community Partnerships in Children's Mental Health: Networking Challenges, Dilemmas, and Solutions

Inter-agency collaboration, service coordination, and the creation of successful partnerships among parents, teachers, and human services professionals continues to be a challenge for the development of responsive community-based systems of care for at-risk youth and their families. We explore how one inner-city neighborhood struggles to create successful community partnerships through traditional networking strategies. Our findings identify networking strategies that appear to work and those that do not. Recommendations for improving communication are provided.     

The Role of Schools in Outcomes for Youth: Implications for Children's Mental Health Services Research

We explore the role of schools in children's mental health services research. Recent literature has suggested that schools play an important role in delivering services to children and adolescents with emotional and behavioral problems. Research in services research, though, has taken a fairly narrow view of which dimensions of school environments are relevant for inclusion in studies. We suggest that a broader view of school environments is appropriate and potentially beneficial to the field. Using Bronfenbrenner's ecological model as a guide, we conceptualize schools as microsystems. Such an approach suggests that all aspects of school environments (treatment as well as non-treatment) are likely to influence many of the outcomes that children's mental health services research frequently targets (e.g., behavioral problems, problematic peer relationships, academic achievement, school attendance). We review literature from a variety of disciplines to suggest relevant features of schools, with particular attention to the role of peer dynamics within schools. We conclude with implications of this expanded conceptualization of schools for children's mental health services research.     

An Integrative Review of School-Based Mental Health Interventions for Elementary Students: Implications for Occupational Therapy

Occupational therapy for children and youth experiencing mental health conditions is often overlooked in current school-based services, as the traditional role within the system is often limited to physical health issues. The purpose of this integrative review is to investigate current psychosocial interventions within school settings to understand the effects of services provided and to determine potential roles for school-based occupational therapists. The findings of this review support occupational therapists in facilitating interventions that target mental health in school settings. Psychotherapy presented the strongest evidence for reducing psychosocial symptoms in school settings.     

Perceptions of Microaggressions: Implications for the Mental Health and Treatment of African American Youth

Race continues to be a salient and impactful component of psychological well-being in diverse modern societies. Significant race based disparities in mental health with respect to children and youth have been noted. Such disparities are evident in both access to and types of treatment. Confounding this issue are the race based phenomena that shape the dynamics between mental health and disorder for African American children and youth. While all races of children experience typical childhood mental health challenges such as Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, Oppositional Defiant Disorder, and Conduct Disorder, African American children who report perceived racism are more than twice as likely to have such disorders using Winnicott’s True and False Self as a framework, the following qualitative study explored how African American seventh grade students perceived personal racist encounters. Implications for treatment will be discussed within the context of therapeutic strategies.     

The Impact of Racial Microaggressions on Mental Health: Counseling Implications for Clients of Color

This study examined the relationship between racial microaggressions (subtle and unintentional forms of racial discrimination) and mental health. Results from a large sample (N = 506) indicated that higher frequencies of racial microaggressions negatively predicted participants' mental health and that racial microaggressions were significantly correlated with depressive symptoms and negative affect. Differences in the types of microaggressions experienced by various racial groups (Asian, Latina/o, Black, White, and multiracial) and counseling implications are discussed.     

认知评价与心理控制感在中年人对社会政策变化感受与心理健康之间的作用

采用自编问卷以714名城镇中年人为被试,考察了认知评价与心理控制感在中年人对社会政策变化感受与心理健康之间的作用。结果发现:(1)总体上,社会政策变化对中年人造成的心理感受以及对心理健康的影响都是积极的。(2)认知评价、心理控制感在中年人对社会政策变化感受与心理健康之间起中介作用。     

Ethics for Mental Health Influencers: MFTs as Public Social Media Personalities

The increase in social media usage contributes to a greater number of Marriage and Family Therapists (MFTs) using social media to grow their professional outreach and to increase awareness about mental health by engaging with online audiences. Although existing literature has discussed how MFTs can make ethical use of personal social media in and around their therapeutic role, no literature at this time has explored the potential ethical issues faced by MFTs seeking to build public presence on social media as a “mental health influencer.” The present paper intends to provide a definition of mental health influencers (MHIs) and reviews ethical concerns relevant to MFTs acting as MHIs. Particular consideration is given to ethical dilemmas and conflicts-of-interest which may emerge via parasocial relationships developed through social media influencing, as well as how the boundaries and the limitations of an MFT’s professional scope can be tested when presenting as a personable, public figure over digital platforms. A framework for conceptualizing ethical issues for MHI-MFTs is offered, with a selection of prescient issues being examined within the scope of existing ethical standards set forth by the American Association of Marriage and Family Therapy’s (AAMFT) Code of Ethics. Reflections are offered about what questions and guidelines should be observed by MFTs in order to avoid unethical use of social media as an MHI, followed by a brief discussion about future considerations which should be considered by MHIs.

     

Crisis Theory and Therapeutic Change in Small Groups: Some Implications for Community Mental Health Programs

Abstract

The role of sibling dynamics in group psychotherapy has received relatively little attention in the literature. Our clinical experience suggests that sibling issues regularly arise in the practice of group psychotherapy. This article provides an integrative view of sibling relationships from a family systems and self psychology orientation to group therapy. Special emphasis is placed on developmental and cultural differences as they affect sibling dynamics and the group leader’s role. A number of case examples are offered to illustrate ways to view clinical challenges in a manner consistent with the influence of sibling relationships on group members and group process.