Attitudes toward mental health professionals.

Attitudes of 85 undergraduates toward various mental health professional roles were evaluated using a semantic differential assessment instrument. Expressed attitudes were most positive toward those roles identified with physical medicine (i.e., physician and nurse) and least positive toward those professions traditionally identified with mental illness (i.e., psychiatrist and psychoanalyst). However, the public appears to be making increasing differentiations in attitudes expressed toward the various professional groups identified with the "psyche" prefix. For example, counseling psychologist was rated consistently as one of the most positive professional role categories, whereas psychoanalyst was rated consistently as one of the most negative role designations. (11 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Believability of expert and lay witnesses: Implications for trial consultation.

Attorneys are often skeptical, with good reason, about the extent to which research findings and psychological principles may apply to the members of their jury pool. It is important for attorneys as well as psychologists who provide consultation services to have access to base-rate opinions about the consultation issues. This article reports the results of a statewide telephone survey of 488 adult residents who answered questions about the believability of expert witnesses and criminal defendants who testify. The survey questions were designed to provide "local" base-rate data about issues that arise in 3 areas of consultation work with attorneys: public perceptions of witness preparation with criminal defendants, expectations of criminal defendant demeanor, and judgments with respect to expert-witness characteristics that might be associated with being a "hired gun." Implications for psychologists who work as trial consultants and expert witnesses are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

An expanded perspective on children's mental health.

Comments on three articles (see records 2005-11115-003, 2005-11115-004, and 2005-11115-005) on the status of children's mental health services in the United States, which appeared in the September 2005 issue of the American Psychologist. The current authors suggest that, although this series of articles provides important information, the articles fall short in meeting the mark of comprehensively describing the solutions necessary to effectively address the crisis facing children's mental health in this country. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Concepts of schizophrenia among mental health professionals: A factor-analytic study.

Factor analyzed the questionnaire responses of 183 mental health professionals to identify relevant dimensions of beliefs about the phenomenology, etiology, and prognosis of schizophrenia. 8 factors were chosen for interpretation: interpersonal etiology, Bleulerian phenomenology, disease concept of schizophrenia, poor prognosis, poor understanding of schizophrenia, schizophrenia as thinking disorder, adaptive symptomatology, and irreversibility. In relating factor scores to S variables, it was found that professional discipline accounted for a significant proportion of variance in both etiological factors. Theoretical orientation was significantly related to opinions about the purposeful nature of schizophrenic symptoms and about prognosis, and place of employment was significantly related to various opinions about etiology and phenomenology. Findings are interpreted as casting doubt on the remaining usefulness of the term "schizophrenia." (26 ref.) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Illusion and well-being: A social psychological perspective on mental health.

Many prominent theorists have argued that accurate perceptions of the self, the world, and the future are essential for mental health. Yet considerable research evidence suggests that overly positive self-evaluations, exaggerated perceptions of control or mastery, and unrealistic optimism are characteristic of normal human thought. Moreover, these illusions appear to promote other criteria of mental health, including the ability to care about others, the ability to be happy or contented, and the ability to engage in productive and creative work. These strategies may succeed, in large part, because both the social world and cognitive-processing mechanisms impose filters on incoming information that distort it in a positive direction; negative information may be isolated and represented in as unthreatening a manner as possible. These positive illusions may be especially useful when an individual receives negative feedback or is otherwise threatened and may be especially adaptive under these circumstances. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Bilingual professionals in community mental health services

OBJECTIVE: This paper presents results from research that explored the roles of bilingual professionals in community mental health services in the Sydney metropolitan area of New South Wales. There were two main objectives to the research: (i) to identify and describe the roles of bilingual professionals that are important in improving the quality of community mental health services for clients from non-English-speaking backgrounds (NESB); and (ii) to identify and describe the factors that facilitate and inhibit the conduct of these roles. METHOD: Data collection involved indepth interviews with bilingual professionals and team leaders in community mental health services and various other community health services; and various staff responsible for policy and service development with regard to cultural diversity. RESULTS: Bilingual mental health workers were found to have at least four critical roles. These were (i) direct clinical service provision to NESB clients; (ii) mental health promotion and community development; (iii) cultural consultancy; and (iv) service development. Respondents reported that the latter three roles were seriously underdeveloped compared to the clinical service provision role. CONCLUSIONS: It is critical that service managers implement strategies to make better use of the linguistic and cultural skills of bilingual professionals. In addition to their role in clinical service provision ways must be found to facilitate the community-focused, cultural consultancy and service development roles of bilingual professionals employed in mental health services.     

Correlates of sex role stereotyping among mental health professionals.

85 male and 40 female psychologists (mean age 47.9 yrs) and psychiatrists (mean age 54.8 yrs) were administered the Attitudes Toward Women Scale and the short form of the Bem Sex-Role Inventory to assess the effects of sex, sex role attitudes, professional affiliation, and therapeutic orientation on sex-role attitudes and sex-role stereotyping. In general, Ss demonstrated relatively liberal sex role attitudes. However, more liberal attitudes were endorsed by psychologists than by psychiatrists and, within disciplines, by younger Ss and those with fewer years of experience. Regarding sex role stereotyping, Ss with less liberal sex role attitudes exhibited stereotyping to a significantly greater extent than did those with more liberal attitudes. Female Ss endorsed as great a double standard of mental health as did males. (26 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Law and mental health professionals: The limits of expertise.

Explores the structure and assumptions of mental health law to elucidate the proper role of mental health professionals when they provide information to the legal system. Most of the questions asked of professionals by law are argued to be primarily social, moral, and legal rather than scientific. It is claimed that in light of present knowledge, experts have less to offer to the law than is commonly supposed. They can, however, make a limited, reasonable contribution to legal decision making by providing scientific information that is not otherwise available to the law. (37 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The public's knowledge about psychologists and other mental health professionals.

A random sample of New London County, Connecticut, residents received a questionnaire about 9 mental health professions or professionals (MHPs): clergyperson, marriage and family counselor, nonpsychiatric physician, psychiatrist, psychiatric nurse, psychologist, psychotherapist, social worker, and telephone crisis counselor. Respondents defined each MHP and reported their satisfaction with treatment, which MHP they would recommend, their referral source(s), licensure requirements, and fees. A mixed-design ANOVA was computed, with comfortableness as the dependent variable; age, sex, saw an MHP, and education, the between-Ss variables; and the 9 MHPs, the within-Ss variable. A significant MHP effect showed that physicians were perceived as slightly more comfortable than were psychologists (nonsignificant), who, nevertheless, were perceived as exceeding all other trained MHPs in the comfortableness experienced by their clients. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The family, the courts, and mental health professionals.

Discusses the different facets of the role of mental health professionals (MHPs) in the legal system. The MHP's role in the family court is compared with that in the criminal court. In the family court, MHPs generally deal in crisis intervention, evaluation, and referral for treatment. Involuntary civil commitment and child abuse are also major issues. MHPs are called on to intervene in divorce and child custody proceedings. Some state legislatures have mandated the employment of MHPs in mental health clinics attached to the courts. (0 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Managed mental health care: The client's perspective.

Changes in psychotherapy services have been the focus of controversy between psychologists and the managed-care industry, yet too seldom have client preferences been directly heard in that debate. This study investigated consumer attitudes about the central elements of psychotherapy service delivery by 3 participant groups: self-pay clients, managed-care clients, and adults without therapy experience. Important differences of opinion were found among participant groups, yet results revealed that all 5 elements investigated were considered essential. Autonomy in treatment decision-making was ranked most important, followed by choice of therapist, copayment amount, limits to confidentiality, and ease of access to care. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Managing the violent patient: A guide for psychologists and other mental health professionals.

Being threatened, harassed, attacked, or confronted by a patient with a weapon is becoming more common and is likely to occur at some point in a mental health professional's career. Effective violence management programs can reduce the incidence of violence. Yet, few resources have been provided to assist psychologists and other mental health professionals to deal with aggressive patients. The authors offer strategies for the management of aggressive behavior that can be implemented to empower practitioners to take precautions when necessary in a quick and efficient manner when dealing with violent and potentially violent patients. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Play therapy for multicultural populations: Guidelines for mental health professionals.

Describes methods and techniques of play therapy for use with multicultural and diverse populations. Barriers to counseling multicultural children and Eurocentric play therapy techniques with multicultural populations are highlighted. Specific guidelines and examples for play therapy with multicultural children are provided. Recommendations and implications for mental health professionals are also discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Passage meditation reduces perceived stress in health professionals: A randomized, controlled trial.

The authors evaluated an 8-week, 2-hr per week training for physicians, nurses, chaplains, and other health professionals using nonsectarian, spiritually based self-management tools based on passage meditation (E. Easwaran, 1978/1991). Participants were randomized to intervention (n = 27) or waiting list (n = 31). Pretest, posttest, and 8- and 19-week follow-up data were gathered on 8 measures, including perceived stress, burnout, mental health, and psychological well-being. Aggregated across examinations, beneficial treatment effects were observed on stress (p = .0013) and mental health (p = .03). Treatment effects on stress were mediated by adherence to practices (p = .05). Stress reductions remained large at 19 weeks (84% of the pretest standard deviation, p = .006). Evidence suggests this program reduces stress and may enhance mental health. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Violence prediction, workplace violence, and the mental health expert.

Suggests that potential expert witnesses in civil cases arising from employee-caused work site violence should be familiar with recent findings concerning the assessment of risk for violence and with the implications of those findings. Pertinent demographic issues and the legal considerations (i.e., legislation, case law, and theories of liability) that might shape tort actions for workplace violence are reviewed. Knowledge concerning mental health professionals' ability to assess violence potential, and the practical limitations of that knowledge are summarized. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

An airport director's perspective on disaster planning and mental health needs.

The Director of the Minneapolis/St. Paul International Airport describes the responsibilities of major airports in disaster planning and response, including mental health needs. He discusses the impact of changes in the industry on airports' disaster plans, relevant Federal Aviation Administration regulations, and typical features of airport disaster plans. The need for psychological services is underscored by experiences in several recent crashes. Psychologists and other mental health professionals are urged to respond to airport directors' requests for assistance in planning, as well as to be more proactive in communities where these issues have yet to be addressed by airport management. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Promoting and protecting mental health as flourishing: A complementary strategy for improving national mental health.

This article summarizes the conception and diagnosis of the mental health continuum, the findings supporting the two continua model of mental health and illness, and the benefits of flourishing to individuals and society. Completely mentally healthy adults--individuals free of a 12-month mental disorder and flourishing--reported the fewest missed days of work, the fewest half-day or greater work cutbacks, the healthiest psychosocial functioning (i.e., low helplessness, clear goals in life, high resilience, and high intimacy), the lowest risk of cardiovascular disease, the lowest number of chronic physical diseases with age, the fewest health limitations of activities of daily living, and lower health care utilization. However, the prevalence of flourishing is barely 20% in the adult population, indicating the need for a national program on mental health promotion to complement ongoing efforts to prevent and treat mental illness. Findings reveal a Black advantage in mental health as flourishing and no gender disparity in flourishing among Whites. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Comparison of university mental health needs priorities identified by professionals and students.

A random and representative sample of 457 undergraduate and graduate students completed the Needs Assessment Questionnaire that required each respondent to rate on a 5-point scale the seriousness of 24 mental health problems among university students and their families. A similar questionnaire was completed by 30 university-employed mental health professionals. A comparison of the ratings given to specific mental health problems by student and professional groups revealed extensive between-groups differences. The students rated problems of substance abuse as most serious, whereas the professionals rated problems of an academic and neurotic nature as most serious. The results have important implications for the validity and utility of needs assessment strategies. (3 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)