Disability and the law: Attitudes of police, lawyers, and mental health professionals.

A literature review on the attitudes of police officers, lawyers, and mental health professionals toward the disabled indicates that police officers' attitudes are related to the extent of their formal education and the amount of information they have about relating to persons with various types of disabilities. Lawyers who have disabled clients tend to be more knowledgeable and to have more positive attitudes than lawyers without such clients, but it is not easy to turn lawyers into advocates for disabled clients. Mental health professionals, who may be called on to provide advice to police officers or lawyers or to testify in court cases, have some negative aspects that may impair their helpfulness, but their attitudes are more positive than those of less educated persons. Data also indicate that the attitudes of psychologists are less negative than those of psychiatrists. It is concluded that rehabilitation psychologists need to undertake studies of the attitudes of these groups and to set up programs designed to change the attitudes of members of these professions. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Attitudes toward professional counseling among Asian-American college students: Acculturation, conceptions of mental illness, and loss of face.

The present study attempted to examine the influence of culture-bound barriers such as acculturation status, loss of face, and conception of mental health on the attitudes of Asian American college students (n = 134) toward seeking professional psychological help. An adapted Acculturation Attitude Scale (AAS; U. Kim, 1988), Zane's (1991) Loss of Face Scale (LOFS), a 10-factor Conception of Mental Health Scale (CMHS; Nunnally, 1961), and a modified version of the Attitudes Toward Seeking Professional Psychological Help Scale (ATSPPHS) with four subscales (Fischer & Turner, 1970) were used in this study. Results support the hypothesis that acculturation and conceptions of mental health were significantly correlated with attitudes toward mental health services. Loss of face was also significantly correlated with attitudes of being open to professional counseling. Implications for mental health professionals working with Asian Americans are highlighted. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

Mental health service utilization among African American and Caucasian mothers and fathers.

Mental health services have been routinely underutilized. This study investigated the influence of parents' gender, race, and psychopathology on perceived barriers and attitudes toward mental health utilization for themselves and for their children. A unique contribution of this study is the examination of father, mother, and child factors influencing service utilization from the parents' perspective. A total of 194 African American and Caucasian parents were recruited from the community to participate. Parents completed measures on barriers and attitudes toward treatment for themselves and for their children, history of mental health service utilization for themselves and for their children, and their own current psychological symptoms. Results indicated that 36.3% and 19.4% of parents and children, respectively, had used mental health services during their lifetime. Parents perceived fewer barriers and had more positive attitudes toward seeking services for their children than for themselves. Race and gender differences were found in parents' perceptions of barriers and attitudes toward treatment. Furthermore, barriers, attitudes, and psychopathology predicted parents' plans for future utilization of mental health services. The clinical implications of this study and directions for future research are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Mental health values and preference for mental health resources of Japanese-American and Caucasian-American students.

The authors investigated Asian-American underuse of mental health resources as a function of attitudes about the nature of mental health (mental health values) and resource preference for assistance with serious personal problems, with 91 Caucasian-American and 90 Japanese-American undergraduates. Results from a mental health values questionnaire (MHVQ) revealed that Japanese Americans more strongly related several MHVQ scales to mental health (good interpersonal relations, trustworthiness, and absence of negative personal traits) than did Caucasian Americans. Nevertheless, they were less likely than Caucasian Americans to rank mental health professionals as first choice for assistance with serious interpersonal/emotional problems and more likely to prefer close friends for assistance. Mental health values and attitudes about appropriate help-seeking behavior are discussed in relation to the Asian-American underuse phenomenon. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Organizational culture and climate and mental health provider attitudes toward evidence-based practice.

Mental health provider attitudes toward adopting evidence-based practice (EBP) are associated with organizational context and provider individual differences. Organizational culture and climate are contextual factors that can affect staff acceptance of innovation. This study examined the association of organizational culture and climate with attitudes toward adopting EBP. Participants were 301 public sector mental health service providers from 49 programs providing mental health services for youths and families. Correlation analyses and multilevel hierarchical regressions, controlling for effects of provider characteristics, showed that constructive culture was associated with more positive attitudes toward adoption of EBP and poor organizational climates with perceived divergence of usual practice and EBP. Behavioral health organizations may benefit from consideration of how culture and climate affect staff attitudes toward change in practice. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Management of sexuality in a mental health setting

Clients with long term mental health problems can be particularly vulnerable to sexually transmitted diseases, but nurses and other staff find it difficult to address the issues of sex and sexuality. More training courses would help to address this, but the attitudes of health professionals to these issues also need to be examined.     

Lifestyle and mental health.

Mental health professionals have significantly underestimated the importance of lifestyle factors (a) as contributors to and treatments for multiple psychopathologies, (b) for fostering individual and social well-being, and (c) for preserving and optimizing cognitive function. Consequently, therapeutic lifestyle changes (TLCs) are underutilized despite considerable evidence of their effectiveness in both clinical and normal populations. TLCs are sometimes as effective as either psychotherapy or pharmacotherapy and can offer significant therapeutic advantages. Important TLCs include exercise, nutrition and diet, time in nature, relationships, recreation, relaxation and stress management, religious or spiritual involvement, and service to others. This article reviews research on their effects and effectiveness; the principles, advantages, and challenges involved in implementing them; and the forces (economic, institutional, and professional) hindering their use. Where possible, therapeutic recommendations are distilled into easily communicable principles, because such ease of communication strongly influences whether therapists recommend and patients adopt interventions. Finally, the article explores the many implications of contemporary lifestyles and TLCs for individuals, society, and health professionals. In the 21st century, therapeutic lifestyles may need to be a central focus of mental, medical, and public health. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

University-based continuing education and mental health system change.

Describes how a continuing education program successfully effected a change in the organized mental health services in a large metropolitan area. The principles, goals, and outcomes of a program oriented toward mental health system change and using community organization interventions are reported and discussed. Comparisons are made with traditional individually oriented continuing education programs. Mental health professionals were trained in program consultation to community care facilities serving chronic mental patients, and attempts were made to have such consultations incorporated into the organized service delivery systems. It is concluded that university-based continuing education can be a major stimulus and have a major impact on organized mental health delivery systems. (6 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of Mental health law in Canada.

Reviews the book, Mental health law in Canada by Harvey Savage and Carla McKague (1987). Mental health professionals who come into contact with the law in the course of their work generally have an interest in the well-being of the client. However, they often feel dismayed and confused because of their lack of understanding of mental law and the legal system in general. Until recently, mental health professionals in Canada could not turn to a single volume which would help explain mental health law, including their clients' rights. However, Harvey Savage and Carla McKague's book, Mental health law in Canada, will help alleviate some of the concern and confusion Canadian mental health professionals have come to know. Although some authors have written about Canadian mental health law in specific contexts (e.g., criminal responsibility or fitness to stand trial), Savage and McKague's contribution is the only available comprehensive source directed to the law affecting psychiatric patients. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Effects of long-term exposure to violent and sexually degrading depictions of women.

Investigated the effects of emotional desensitization to films of violence against women and the effects of sexually degrading explicit and nonexplicit films on beliefs about rape and the sexual objectification of women. Males viewed either 2 or 5 R-rated violent "slasher," X-rated nonviolent "pornographic," or R-rated nonviolent teenage-oriented ("teen sex") films. Affective reactions and cognitive perceptions were measured after each exposure. Later, these men and no-exposure control Ss completed a voir dire questionnaire, viewed a reenacted acquaintance or nonacquaintance sexual assault trial, and judged the defendant and alleged rape victim. Ss in the violent condition became less anxious and depressed and showed declines in negative affective responses. They were also less sympathetic to the victim and less empathetic toward rape victims in general. However, longer film exposure was necessary to affect general empathy. There were no differences in response between the R-rated teen sex film and the X-rated, sexually explicit, nonviolent film, and the no-exposure control conditions on the objectification or the rape trial variables. A model of desensitization to media violence and the carryover to decision making about victims is proposed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The shift to community mental health as an organizational phenomenon.

Mental health professionals often fail to recognize organizational phenomena which are significant to delivery of services. A current shift in service delivery is the move away from residential care to prevention programs. Rather than seeing this as the result of "new discoveries", the shift is viewed as an outcome of organizational developments. It is suggested that community mental health programs are produced by an institution having resources in excess of stabilized demands for treatment technology. This process of organizational diversification may have the surprising result of creating greater tendencies toward custodial treatment. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Attitude of clinicians toward use of computers in hospital settings.

Reports describing the application of computer technology suggest that mental health professionals have a predominantly hostile attitude toward computerized information systems. This study explored the attitudes of a group of psychologists and psychiatrists toward use of computers in hospital settings. Their perception of a computer-assisted interview procedure was compared with that of a routine manual system of collecting information on children and adolescents attending a mental health service. The study also investigated the impact of the computer-assisted interview procedure on clinicians' attitudes toward the general use of computers in hospital settings. The computer-assisted interview was generally perceived favorably by clinicians, whereas the problem of resistance toward computers by mental health professionals, frequently described in anecdotal reports, was not identified in this study. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Violence and sex impair memory for television ads.

Participants watched a violent, sexually explicit, or neutral TV program that contained 9 ads. Participants recalled the advertised brands. They also identified the advertised brands from slides of supermarket shelves. The next day, participants were telephoned and asked to recall again the advertised brands. Results showed better memory for people who saw the ads during a neutral program than for people who saw the ads during a violent or sexual program both immediately after exposure and 24 hr later. Violence and sex impaired memory for males and females of all ages, regardless of whether they liked programs containing violence and sex. These results suggest that sponsoring violent and sexually explicit TV programs might not be a profitable venture for advertisers. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Locus of control and attitudes toward mental illness among mental health volunteers.

Administered Rotter's Internal-External Control (I-E) Scale and Opinions about Mental Illness (OMI) Scale to 30 volunteers at a state mental hospital and 34 undergraduate controls. It was found that the volunteer group was more internal on the I-E Scale and less likely to feel that patients should be restricted in their social functioning. Retest OMI Scale scores of 16 volunteers after 6 mo. indicated that Ss' attitudes toward patients became more benevolent over time, and they may have begun to adopt the ideology of the mental health professional. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

One hundred girls in care referred to an adolescent forensic mental health service

There is a paucity of literature relating to adolescent females who offend. This retrospective case note study of 100 consecutive referrals of girls aged 11-17 in care to an Adolescent Forensic Mental Health Service describes a group of disturbed girls at the extreme of the continuum. Sixty-eight girls had assaulted at least one person; a further 10 had caused damage to objects; 76 had deliberately harmed themselves; 90 had behaved in a way which was against the law in the 6 months prior to assessment, although only 42 had been charged with an offence. The referrers only correctly documented violent and aggressive behaviours in 54% of cases. Eleven girls had ever been statemented as having special educational needs. Seventy-one had been abused in some way, the majority having been multiply abused. Of the violent girls, 50% had misused substances. More abused girls had been violent to objects (49.3%) or set fires (21.1%). A high number of deliberately self-harming girls had a mental illness (13.6%), and a significantly high number of deliberately self-harming girls misused substances (50%) and had been sexually abused (53.9%). Areas for future research are discussed.     

Review of Strategies for building multicultural competence in mental health and educational settings.

Reviews the book, Stategies for building multicultural competence in mental health and educational settings edited by M. G. Constantine and D. W. Sue (2005). Strategies for Building Multicultural Competence in Mental Health and Educational Settings is an excellent resource designed for mental health professionals who may lack knowledge and expertise in working with diverse clients. It provides hands-on strategies and suggestions in a variety of contexts, using the Multicultural Guidelines as a framework. This book is strongly recommended for clinicians working with culturally diverse populations. The Surgeon General's report Mental Health: Culture, Race and Ethnicity (U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, 2001) clearly demonstrates the disparity in the mental health care of racial and ethnic minorities as compared with Whites. This book is useful not only to novices exploring diversity but also to those who are already cross-culturally competent. The authors successfully apply the APA Multicultural Guidelines in clinical practice and educational, training, and organizational settings while providing specific strategies for clinicians. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

To use or not to use: Clinicians' perceptions of telemental health.

Equal access to mental health services is necessary for healthy individuals and communities. However, due to geographical distances and other barriers, some clients cannot easily access mental health professionals. Technologies such as videoconferencing for clinical purposes (i.e., telemental health) may help to bridge these gaps to connect clients and clinicians at geographically diverse locations. However, despite its potential utility, telemental health has not been widely adopted in Canada. This study is an exploratory investigation into mental health professionals' attitudes toward telemental health, factors that affect the frequency with which they use this technology, and their perceptions of individual characteristics that make clients more or less suitable candidates for telemental health. This study has a particular focus on remote and rural and Operational Stress Injury (OSI) contexts. One hundred sixty mental health workers across Canada participated in an online survey, and 25 mental health workers from Operational Stress Injury clinics across Canada participated in in-person interviews. The data were examined using qualitative and quantitative analysis methods. Findings suggest that mental health workers have overall positive attitudes toward the use of telemental health—particularly for clients in remote and rural locations. Additionally, receiving training in telemental health, being in the mental health field for longer, and perceiving the technology as easy to use are associated with more frequent use of telemental health. Finally, clinicians reported specific client characteristics that they perceive to make some clients unsuitable candidates for telemental health. Implications of these findings and directions for future research are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

Effect of job attitudes, training, and organization climate on performance of the hard-core unemployed.

Examined potential contributors toward the job performance and retention of 478 hard-core unemployed (hcu): (a) the hcu's biographic and demographic background, (b) attitudes toward work, (c) the organizational climate in which he is placed, and (d) the effect of a 2-wk training/orientation program. The sole correlate of the hcu's work effectiveness and behavior was the degree of supportiveness of the organizational climate in which he was placed. In addition, the hcu saw this climate as far less supportive than did his supervisor. Results indicate that programs geared primarily toward adapting the hcu's work attitudes to the predominant social structure in the organization are far less potent than those that also incorporate the adaptation of the organizational climate. (22 ref.) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Attitudinal changes associated with two approaches to training mental health technicians in milieu and social-learning programs.

Gave 2 groups of nonprofessional trainees (n = 21) from a high-unemployment area specific job-related training in behavioral principles and procedures of both milieu and social-learning treatment programs for chronic mental patients. Group 1 received sequential training with professional staff 1st conducting classroom instruction, followed by on-the-job training. Group 2 received abbreviated classroom instruction by professional staff, integrated with clinical observation with experienced technicians. Demographic and personality assessment occurred before training, attitudinal assessment on modified versions of the Opinions about Mental Illness Scale and Paul's Therapist Orientation Sheet was obtained before and after the academic portion of training, and an academic test was obtained after academic training. The sequential-professional mode of training resulted in better academic performance. Attitudinal changes were associated with behavior-specific training, and differential patterns of change were found for the 2 approaches. Trainee attitudes tended toward those of instructors, and attitudinal similarity was related to academic performance. Comparisons with attitudes of other occupational groups indicated that the present nonprofessional trainees after training were unique but more similar to professionals than to nonprofessionals studied elsewhere. (22 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Temperamental and familial predictors of violent and nonviolent criminal convictions: Age 3 to age 18.

This study examined the relations between family characteristics, childhood temperament, and convictions for violent and nonviolent offenses at age 18 in a representative birth cohort of men who are part of a longitudinal study. Three groups of men were identified on the basis of their conviction status at age 18: Participants who had never been convicted (n?=?404), participants who had been convicted for nonviolent offenses only (n?=?50), and participants who had been convicted for violent offenses (n?=?21). Multivariate analysis of variance and logistic regression analyses indicated that family factors were associated with both types of conviction outcomes, whereas childhood temperament was associated primarily with convictions for violent offenses. The potentially distinct roles of social- and self-regulation in the development of antisocial behavior are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)