Teaching mental health and law: A reply to Shealy.

Comments on the article by A. E. Shealy (see record 2005-09632-004) describing the teaching approach in forensic psychology. The current author notes that if, as Shealy proposes, advantages and positive rewards are available to psychologists participating in the judicial system, then it is also important to evaluate the negative aspects. Furthermore, a confrontation of the inequities with the advocate and adversarial approach needs more exploration in Shealy's system. The author describes a graduate program in forensic psychology at the University of Washington, in which students in law, psychiatry, and psychology, psychology interns, and other health science professionals will be able to participate. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of Law and mental health: International perspectives. Volume 1.

Reviews the book, Law and mental health: International perspectives. Volume 1 by David N. Weisstub (1984). This is the first volume in a series designed to provide an international perspective on central issues in law and mental health. The editor, David N. Weisstub, is a professor of law at Osgoode Hall and was the founding editor of the International Journal of Law and Psychiatry. He is well qualified to accomplish his stated goal of establishing an international network of scholars and increase communication between countries. The first volume, however, focuses primarily on American jurisprudence. Weisstub argues that this is appropriate because the United States "has been a forerunner and, indeed, has functioned as a testing ground in the field." Subsequent volumes will include research reviews and examinations of legislative and judicial trends in other countries, focusing on topics such as malpractice, deinstitutionalization, guardianship, and competency. The present volume is comprised of six chapters, each on a different topic with the exception of two chapters on criminal responsibility. Few readers will be interested in all the chapters, but anyone interested in mental health law will find something of interest. The chapters are of uniformly high quality and the book is an excellent reference work. Since there are only six chapters, it may be of use to potential readers to have a brief overview of each. This volume (and the ones to follow) should prove to be a valuable reference for psychologists interested in legal issues. It may also be put to good use in graduate seminars in law and psychology because of the breadth of issues covered in the volume. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Symposium on relationships between religion and mental health: Discussion.

"To prepare to serve the personal needs of those who come to the pastor, psychology and clinical training have come into the curriculum of theological education… . It may be noted… that the deeper the psychotherapy the more like a religious conversion it becomes." Ostow finds that the most effective psychological controls in animal and human behavior "are exactly those which religion has developed with conspicuous success." Goodwin Watson notes that amoral therapy is a contradiction in terms, for every personal choice is a moral one. "Mental health is everybody's business. Every profession and every discipline of knowledge is responsible to give from its wisdom to the cause of healthy living on this planet. Psychology and psychiatry are making notable contributions. Religion and ethics too are disciplines needed on this frontier. From the ultimate concern of ethical religion we may ask faithful devotion to the human quest for wholeness." (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)     

Introduction: Methodological issues in school-based mental health services research.

New research directions on the effectiveness of mental health services for children and adolescents offer the opportunity for school psychology to apply its knowledge base to the systemic juncture between mental health and school systems. Models of service delivery to children, adolescents, and their families that integrate school, mental health, and other service sectors are being actively studied to answer questions about the outcomes of these services for children with mental health problems. The papers in this journal were first presented at the 6th Annual Research Conference of the Florida Mental Health Institute on "A System of Care for Children's Mental Health: Expanding the Research Base." The papers describe state-of-the art studies of school-based mental health interventions for children, adolescents, and their families. In each of the papers, particular attention is paid to the salient methodological issues researchers face in conducting these studies within school settings. It is hoped that these articles will foreground the healthy and creative tensions that exist between different research paradigms and multiple service communities, especially mental health and school systems, by encouraging new research on important and as yet unanswered questions about the effectiveness of school-based service delivery to children and adolescents with mental health needs. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

New perspectives regarding positive mental health.

Critical comments regarding the terms "mental health" are indicated. "Needed is some rubric that at once retains the good will and enthusiastic participation of members of the mental health profession and their medical, health, and welfare colleagues, and yet effectively elicits the involvement of members of other social sciences, the humanities, education, religion, and philosophy—groups already committed to the exploration of new horizons and to guiding man toward the fulfillment of his aspirations." 4 areas of injury are noted "to illustrate some of the new perspectives for psychology in research and action regarding positive mental health or creative growth.… Greatly needed at this time are new conceptualizations that have compelling significance for all psychologist." (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The process of mental health consultation: A systematic look within the context of community psychology.

The process of mental health consultation has been generally defined in terms of the techniques which the psychologist uses, "the how" of the consultant's role. The content, "the what" of this process is now being considered. The issues raised are partly based on the analysis of all consultation - contacts (N-56) collected during the first nine operational months of a project serving a sample population previously not reached by traditional clinical settings. Specifically this paper discusses the way in which a record-keeping method, devised specifically to account for "what" happens during a consultation, yields findings clarifying, complementing and at times diverging from what has been impressionistically reported to be content of the consultation process: a focus on psychopathology and intrapsychic conflicts of the consultee's charges. This pilot project in its attempt to systematically record all consultant's activities, has methodological implications for valid functional definitions of the mental health consultant within the context of community psychology. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Psychology and the mental health movement.

The following points are elaborated: "1. Among many other things, mental health is a vast social movement which, for better or for worse, will carry us all along with it. 2. Psychologists, for a number of reasons, have not been enthusiastic participators in this social movement. 3. Psychologists have a great deal to contribute to the mental health movement, and they can contribute mightily without loss of identity." Mental health as a social movement seems due to three factors: (a) The tendency to conceive human behavior in naturalistic terms. (b) The American belief in the almost infinite improvability of almost anything. (c) The rising level of aspiration for health and well-being. The scientific humility of the psychologist "can become maladaptive diffidence, and diffidence sometimes becomes irresponsibility." 6 suggestions for dealing with diffidence are indicated. The psychologists perceptions of mental health, the orientation of the movement toward the "pathological," and the focus on the clinical may have discouraged the interests of psychologists in mental health. The unique contribution of the psychologist to mental health is discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Manpower trends in three mental health professions.

"It is our purpose… to examine manpower trends in psychiatry, psychology, and social work." Two major problems relating to higher education are: (1) That many bright young people do not receive the training for which they are intellectually competent, and (2) That because of heightened birth rate beginning in the 1940's, a substantial rise in college enrollments can be expected within the next decade. The demand for trained personnel in the field of mental health is considered. Separate sections titled "Psychiatrists," "Psychologists," and "Social Workers" discuss the supply of and need for professional workers within each field. 50-item bibliography. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Innovative brief pithy psychotherapy: A contribution from corporate managed mental health care.

The managed health care movement has reached a stage of maturity that has allowed it to begin to invest in the development of new clinical intervention approaches. Modern managed mental health care therapy, also known as pithy therapy, is expected to replace more traditional, lengthier forms of therapy by the year 2000. This article presents sections of the new treatment manual for purposes of illustrating the newly developed techniques. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Symposium on relationships between religion and mental health: Introductory remarks.

"We are witnessing a conspicuous change in the climate between religion and science in recent years." In psychology this has been evidenced in seminars on religion and psychiatry, work shops on pastoral care and psychotherapy, grants to universities for developing mental health curricula for theological students, creation of an Academy of Religion and Mental Health, and the establishing of an APA committee to study relationships between religion and mental health. "The hitherto existing chasm between religion and psychology is somewhat unusual because… both concern themselves with human nature and behavior." This symposium spotlights: expanding links between psychology and religion, religious experience and psychological conflict, the nature of religious controls, and moral issues in psychotherapy. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of Canadian mental health law and policy.

Reviews the book, Canadian Mental Health Law and Policy by John E. Gray, Margaret A. Shone, and Peter F. Liddle (2000). The authors of this book have produced a multidisciplinary text that succinctly summarizes the main points of Canadian mental health laws and the variability across provinces and territories in these laws and in their typical interpretation and application. This book offers a concise guide to the laws dealing with key issues such as involuntary hospital admission, authorization of psychiatric treatment, and treatment refusal. Although not always an easy read for those unfamiliar with legal terms and writing, the book is geared to a wide audience that includes legal and policy specialists, mental health professionals, and advocates for the mentally ill. These authors are to be congratulated for their efforts to disseminate and explain information on Canadian mental health law and to promote a more humane and scientifically grounded set of legal standards and interpretations that are pertinent to the disposition and treatment of Canadian citizens with severe mental disorders. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Toward reflective practice: A multicultural competence training model from a community mental health center.

Despite the importance of multicultural competence in clinical practice and training, there is a surprising dearth of innovative training models from fieldwork sites that would be replicable in other practicum settings. The authors illustrate a multicultural competence training model from a community mental health center that highlights the Guidelines on Multicultural Education, Training, Research, Practice, and Organization Change for Psychologists (American Psychological Association, 2003). The model focuses on providing multicultural training through two separate but linked training teams for the dual purposes of internal reflection and reflective practice. The authors conclude with a discussion of the implications of this training model for practice, research, and organizational change. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Our Katrina experience: Providing mental health services in Concordia Parish, Louisiana.

Responding to the call for psychologists to serve Louisiana and the Gulf Coast after Hurricane Katrina, 2 school psychologists spent almost 2 weeks in central Louisiana in early September 2005. They were located in a rural area and provided mental health services to evacuees from Hurricane Katrina in a number of small shelters, an RV park, and the schools. This article describes their experiences as mental health volunteers and the impact those experiences had on their professional and personal lives. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Migrant mental health: A model for indicators of mental health and health care consumption.

Objective: This study explores the relationship between mental health and health care consumption among migrants in the Netherlands. Design: Samples of the Turkish (n = 648), Moroccan (n = 102), and Surinamese (n = 311) populations in Amsterdam were examined. The study tested a hypothesized model of risk factors for psychiatric morbidity, indicators of well-being, and indicators of health care consumption. The model was specified on the basis of information from earlier research on the sample and literature on the topic. The model was tested and refined using structural equation modeling. Main outcome measures: Psychiatric morbidity and well-being measures were assessed with the CIDI 1.1 and MOS-sf-36 subscales, respectively. Health care consumption was assessed by the question "Have you ever consulted one or more of these professionals or health care facilities with respect to mental health problems or problems related to alcohol or drugs usage?" Results: The primary result of this study was the confirmation that health care consumption among migrants is predicted by need and predisposition factors, such as health condition and sociodemographic characteristics. In addition, mental health care consumption of migrants is predicted by acculturation characteristics. This result suggests an effect of cultural and migrant-specific factors in help-seeking behavior and barriers to mental health care facilities. Conclusions: Findings confirm the existence of migrant-specific mechanisms in health care consumption. Mental health care professionals should be aware of these. However, ignoring common ground for interventions unnecessarily creates distance between migrant groups and between migrant and indigenous Dutch groups. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Building a world-class mental health care system for America.

This article examines our current mental health care system, and what can be done to expand this current system. It focuses on the mental health needs of our children, and makes some suggestions to improve their care. Some things discussed are putting more mental health professionals in schools, affordable and convenient treatment options for parents, and flexible treatment arrangements. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Clinical health psychology: A health care specialty in professional psychology.

Clinical health psychology is a specialty recognized by both the American Board of Professional Psychology and the American Psychological Association. Clinical health psychology focuses on psychological and behavioral components of illness and health and promotes the understanding of psychology as a health profession. In this article the author reviews its definition, provides a brief overview of practice in the specialty, addresses its relevance for practitioners, and notes sample resources for further study. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

From the editor.

Elliot Jurist, in beginning his third year as editor of Psychoanalytic Psychology, offers a few reflections on the field of psychoanalytic psychology, particularly in relation to the wider field of mental health. He introduces an interview that he conducted with Peter Fonagy, discusses the importance of Psychoanalytic Psychology remaining a scholarly journal, and notes that contributions to the journal are invited that discuss the place of psychoanalytic psychology in relation to the field of clinical psychology and the wider realm of mental health professions. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

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)