Existentially oriented training for mental health practitioners

Journal of Contemporary Psychotherapy -     

Online group interaction and mental health: an analysis of three online discussion forums

The present study examined interactions on three Norwegian online discussion forums, and attempted to identify differences in interactions and plausible outcomes of thematically dissimilar forums. Four categories were applied to the forums in order to distinguish potentially constructive and destructive uses. Interaction along the constructive-destructive dimension was contingent upon the themes discussed, as well as the level and nature of professional involvement. Interaction adhering to a destructive dimension was identified only in relation to the forum for eating disorders. Discovering to what extent theme and professional involvement influence interactions in discussion forums might guide further professional involvement in online group settings and the design of appropriate online environments.     

学校心理健康教育中的参与式教师培训初探

本研究通过参与式培训手段,提高了昆明市东华一小全体教师关心学生心理健康的意识和能力,并探讨参与式培训的可行性和有效性.多维评估结果表明本次培训取得了良好的效果,其原因在于:1.通过需求评估确定内容,增加了培训内容的针对性.2.参与式教学手段的引入,激发了学员的参与热情,提升了培训效果.3.全员培训从“面”上增进了教师积极的日常教学行为,减少了消极的日常教学行为.     

Religiosity,spirituality, mental health,and mental health treatment outcomes in Australia: a systematic literature review

The relationship between religiosity and mental health is a relatively well-researched field within North America, covering numerous domains of religiosity, including: religion, spirituality, prayer, church attendance, church affiliation and belief in God or a higher power. Considering the Australian literature, there are few papers that explore these dimensions of religiosity and their relationship with health, and in particular, very little research into the field of religiosity and mental health. Using systematic literature review methods, this study explores the Australian research into relationships between religiosity, mental health, and treatment outcomes for psychiatric illness and suicidal behaviour.     

Exploring rates of transgender individuals and mental health concerns in an online sample

Background: Prevalence estimates of adults identifying as transgender are scarce, particularly in the United States. Method: The current study endeavored to estimate the prevalence of individuals identifying as transgender in a large online sample of adult U.S. residents (n = 6,727) and compare the prevalence of common mental health disorders (depression, anxiety, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder) and the age of onset for individuals identifying as men or women versus those identifying as transgender. Results: The prevalence estimate of individuals identifying as transgender was 0.8%. Individuals identifying as transgender were significantly more likely than individuals identifying as men or women to report having had a single diagnosis or co-occurring diagnoses for all three disorders examined. Additionally, transgender individuals were more likely than individuals identifying as men or women to receive a diagnosis of anxiety or depression at a younger age. Conclusion: Given the prevalence of transgender individuals and the associations with common mental health conditions, clinicians must be informed and competent to care for their clinical needs. This study introduces online crowdsourcing resources as a potentially fruitful option for reaching and researching gender diversity.     

A suicide in an online mental health support group: reactions of the group members, administrative responses, and recommendations.

Suicides in online mental health support groups are inevitable. This case report of such a suicide describes the responses of the group members and the moderator and makes recommendations. Members of a large, public, mental health message board supported each other, and the moderator, a mental health professional, managed the milieu. A member joined in February 2001 and killed herself in April 2002. The initial response of the members was grief. The moderator attempted to minimize suicide contagion by not making any special announcements and to facilitate mourning by starting a memorial thread. There were no reports of self-injury in response to the suicide, and the online ventilation of grief may in fact have had some preventative effect. One member went to the funeral, and gradually, the group moved on. The moderator later implemented a memorial page. The responses of online groups to suicide may, like those of real-life groups, have resuscitation, rehabilitation, and renewal phases. Diffusion of dependency, a searchable archive, and threaded, asynchronous discussion may facilitate mourning, but anonymity may increase vulnerability to false reports. A thread started in memory of a deceased member may function like a virtual memorial service. A memorial page may function like a virtual cemetery. Preliminary recommendations can be made regarding suicide prevention and responding to suicide in moderated online mental health support groups.     

An informal online learning community for student mental health at university: a preliminary investigation

As a potential solution to increasing demands on mental health services at universities, this project seeks to develop an informal online learning community for mental health support and education. Students' use of the Internet and Information and Communication Technologies (ICT), especially to access health information, provides a supporting rationale for this project. The design for this study is grounded in the pedagogical principles of informal learning and the practices for building successful online communities. The student online mental health community has been implemented at the authors' university (University of Dublin, Trinity College) for one academic term and the initial analysis of its usage is positive. Features that are being positively evaluated are the role of the reader participant, disinhibition that arises from anonymity, online provision acting as a gateway to further support, and online provision reaching an audience who ordinarily do not use face-to-face services. At the same time, difficulties specific to this type of community have surfaced, including technical issues, implications of anonymity and user safety.     

The Woodlawn school mental health training program: A community-based university graduate course

The observance of traditional jurisdictional boundaries in the training of human service professionals has contributed heavily to the general failure of these professions to provide adequate and effective services. This article describes the rationale, design, and development of a community-based school mental health training program that seeks to establish constructive collaboration between those principals most influential in the mental health of young school children-educators, mental health professionals, parents, and the children themselves. A single curriculum for both professionals and parents and the diversity of professional disciplines involved are two of the unique aspects of this training program.     

Transpersonal psychology,physical health,and mental health: Theory,research, and practice

Abstract

Throughout its existence, transpersonal psychology has held a strong interest in exploring the implications of consciousness and spirituality for health, both physical and mental. This article provides a brief overview of the theoretical, empirical, and clinical contributions of transpersonal psychology to the understanding and facilitation of human health and well‐being. It also critiques the methodological basis of some of these contributions, concluding that transpersonal psychological studies of the relationship between spirituality and health are still in their infancy and that practitioners interested in using approaches based on these findings need to exercise caution as well as excitement about the interesting developments unfolding at an ever increasing rate.     

The training of community mental health clinicians as infant specialists

This article describes the training program and collaborative effort between the Department of Mental Health, the Child Development Project at the University of Michigan, and community mental health agencies. The in-service training is described with special attention to content and process, including the role of case supervision. The effect of the training program as a catalyst to service development is noted.     

Psychotherapy,sin, and mental health

The authors contend that there are important consistencies between the Judeo-Christian tradition and psychotherapy. Empirical findings suggesting a weak correlation between religiosity and mental health are discussed in terms of there being both healthy and unhealthy aspects of religion. The crucial balance may involve the shame engendered via the awareness of sin vs. the assurance of ultimate acceptance or grace. Also discussed are issues that arise when psychiatry and religion seemingly conflict.