An Exploration of Mental Health Literacy Among African American Clergy

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore African American clergy's mental health literacy with older congregants 60 years of age and older. Using a grounded theory approach, we recruited a purposive sample of 9 African American clergy representing diverse ages, denominations, locales, and educational levels. Data was coded and classified according to Kevin's (1976) Kevin, R. C. 1976. Factors influencing the judgment and referral of mental health presenting problems by clergymen and psychologists, Unpublished doctoral dissertation: University of Texas, Austin.  [Google Scholar] typology of pastoral counseling and Jorm et al.'s (1997) Jorm, A. F., Korten, A. E., Jacomb, P. A., Christensen, H., Rodgers, B. and Pollitt, P. 1997. “Mental health literacy”: A survey of the public's ability to recognize mental disorders and their beliefs about the effectiveness of treatment. Medical Journal of Australia, 166: 182–186. [Crossref], [PubMed], [Web of Science ®] , [Google Scholar] conceptual model of mental health literacy. Findings from data analysis revealed study respondents were adherents of Kevin's Religious–Community (R–C) model. Additionally, the following themes emerged: loss of cognitive functioning, psychosocial stressors, religiosity, and appreciation for professional assistance, cultural barriers, and key informants/familiarity with formal mental health providers which partially maps onto Jorm et al.'s conceptual model of mental health literacy.     

Mixed-Status Families and Immigration Interior Enforcement Policies: Effects on Clinical Practice and the Intraethnic Therapeutic Dyad

ABSTRACT

This article explores the sociopolitical and intersubjective enactments that unfolded when working with a mixed-status immigrant family facing parental deportation. Through the integration of a sociopolitical and intersubjective conceptualization, dynamics pertaining to inclusion, exclusion, domination, and subjugation are examined. The psychological exploration of the clinical treatment is guided by Altman’s (2010 Altman, N. (2010). The analyst in the inner city: Race, class and culture through a psychoanalytic lens (2nd ed.). New York, NY: Routledge. [Google Scholar]) three-person psychology and Stolorow’s (1991 Stolorow, R. D. (1991). The intersubjective context of intrapsychic experience: A decade of psychoanalytic inquiry. Psychoanalytic Inquiry, 11, 171–184. doi:10.1080/07351699109533850[Taylor & Francis Online], [Web of Science ®] , [Google Scholar], 1993 Stolorow, R. D. (1993). Chapter 3 thoughts on the nature and therapeutic action of psychoanalytic interpretation. Progress in Self-Psychology, 9, 31–43. [Google Scholar]) theory of intersubjectivity. The analysis also incorporates dynamics pertaining to the ethnocultural transference and countertranference (Comas-Díaz & Jacobsen, 1991 Comas-Díaz, L., & Jacobsen, F. M. (1991). Ethnocultural transference and countertransference in the therapeutic dyad. American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, 61(3), 392–402. doi:10.1037/h0079267[Crossref], [PubMed], [Web of Science ®] , [Google Scholar], 1995 Comas-Díaz, L., & Jacobsen, F. M. (1995). The therapist of color and the white patient dyad: Contradictions and recognitions. Cultural Diversity and Mental Health, 1(2), 93–106. doi:10.1037/1099-9809.1.2.93[Crossref], [PubMed] , [Google Scholar]) and to associative identification processes (Shonfeld-Ringer, 2000 Shonfeld-Ringer, S. (2000). Close encounters: Exclusion and marginalization as an intersubjective experience. Smith College Studies in Social Work, 71(1), 51–59.[Taylor & Francis Online], [Web of Science ®] , [Google Scholar]). The case illustrates how dynamics of racialization, embedded within an increasingly White Nativist, ideological deportation immigration context, infiltrated the intraethnic, therapeutic relational encounter. The therapist took part in an intragroup, racialized reenactment that could have led to the therapist becoming part of the oppressive structure, but the therapist avoided doing so, explaining her internal process for rectifying the situation.     

Social Workers,Intimate Partner Violence (IPV), and Client Financial Concerns

ABSTRACT

The negative impact of financial abuse on intimate partner violence (IPV) survivors is well researched (Babcock, Waltz, Jacobson, & Gottman, 1993 Babcock, J. C., Waltz, J., Jacobson, N. S., & Gottman, J. M. (1993). Power and violence: The relation between communication patterns, power discrepancies, and domestic violence. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 61(1), 40–50. doi:10.1037/0022-006X.61.1.40[Crossref], [PubMed], [Web of Science ®] , [Google Scholar]), however literature indicating how often social workers ask clients about financial concerns is currently limited. This study examined the frequency with which social workers asked clients about their financial concerns and how that relates to perceived knowledge of IPV and perceived preparedness to work with clients experiencing IPV. A total of 266 social workers who were alumni of a university located on the eastern shore of the United States responded to the questionnaire. Fewer than 30% of respondents reported that they always asked clients about their financial concerns. Logistic regression was used to model the association of always asking clients about financial concerns as a function of perceived knowledge (model 1) and perceived preparedness (model 2). In model 1, perceived knowledge, IPV education and/or training, and age were significant predictors of always asking about financial concerns (p < .05), while in model 2, perceived preparedness and age were significant predictors (p < .05). More research is needed to explore social workers' comfort with addressing client financial concerns and implications for practice.     

Open-Ended and Open-Door Treatment Groups for Young People with Mental Illness

The concept of open-ended groups is expanded to include an open-door model (OEOD) wherein members with severe mental illnesses, including schizophrenia disorders and bipolar, can join, leave, and reenter groups as their life circumstances dictate their availability and willingness for treatment. This model is grounded on the work of Schopler and Galinsky's (1984/2006 Schopler, J. H. and Galinsky, M. J. 2006. Meeting practice needs: Conceptualizing the open-ended group. Social Work with Groups, 28(3): 49–68. (Original work published 1984) [Google Scholar]) and Galinsky and Schopler's (1989 Galinsky, M. and Schopler, J. 1989. Developmental patterns in open-ended groups. Social Work with Groups, 12(2): 99–114. [Taylor & Francis Online], [Web of Science ®] , [Google Scholar]) theses on the value and processes of open-ended groups and includes perspectives on mutual aid and group development. Groupwork with the OEOD format is illustrated with examples taken from a group of 79 participants diagnosed with first-episode schizophrenia/schizoaffective disorders, 40 of whom had cooccurring substance abuse. Of the 79 participants in the OEOD group program, 70 (89%) remained in treatment for the maximum of 3 years. The overall value of group treatment for this population is reviewed along with the small number of available publications on open-ended and open-door type groups.     

Stepwise Psychosocial Palliative Care: A New Approach to the Treatment of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder at the End of Life

Although evidence-based therapies for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) exist for physically healthy populations, these often do not adequately address PTSD in dying patients. Particularly because these interventions require 8–16 weekly sessions, and the median stay in U.S. hospices is 17.5 days (National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization [NHPCO], 2015 National Hospice &; Palliative Care Organization (NHPCO). (2015). NHPCO Facts and figures: Hospice care in America. Retrieved from http://www.nhpco.org/sites/default/files/public/Statistics_Research/2015_Facts_Figures.pdf. [Google Scholar]), there is a potentially serious timing mismatch. Moreover, these treatments may temporarily increase trauma symptoms (Nishith, Resick, &; Griffin, 2002 Nishith, P., Resick, P. A., &; Griffin, M. G. (2002). Pattern of change in prolonged exposure and cognitive-processing therapy for female rape victims with posttraumatic stress disorder. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 70, 880–886. doi:10.1037//0022-006x.70.4.880[Crossref], [PubMed], [Web of Science ®] , [Google Scholar]), resulting in some patients dying in greater distress than had they not received care. The Stepwise Psychosocial Palliative Care (SPPC) model presented in this article compensates for these difficulties by embracing a palliative care approach to PTSD. Although it utilizes techniques drawn from existing PTSD interventions, these are re-ordered and utilized in a time-responsive, patient-centered manner that takes into account prognosis, fatigue, and logistical concerns. The SPPC approach is further considered with respect to existing social work palliative care competencies (Gwyther et al., 2005 Gwyther, L. P., Altilio, T., Blacker, S., Christ, G., Csikai, E. L., Hooyman, N., … Howe, J. (2005). Social work competencies in palliative and end-of-life care. Journal of Social Work in End-of-Life &; Palliative Care, 1, 87–120. doi:10.1300/j457v01n01_06[Taylor &; Francis Online] , [Google Scholar]) and a case study is used to demonstrate its application.     

Self-Reported Ageism in Social Work Practitioners and Students

In this study, we focus on self-reported ageism in college students and social service providers using the Relating to Older People Evaluation (ROPE; Cherry & Palmore, 2008 Cherry, K. E. and Palmore, E. B. 2008. Relating to Older People Evaluation (ROPE): A measure of self–reported ageism. Educational Gerontology, 34: 849–861. [Taylor & Francis Online], [Web of Science ®] , [Google Scholar]). The ROPE is a 20-item questionnaire that measures positive and negative ageist behaviors that people engage in during everyday life. Participants included undergraduate and graduate social work students and practicing social service providers in the nursing home and mental health setting. Findings indicate that people of varying educational backgrounds and occupational experience in social services readily admit to positive ageist behaviors. Item analyses revealed similarities and differences between groups in the most and least frequent forms of ageism endorsed. Ageism as a social phenomenon with implications related to social work policy and practice is discussed.     

Academic Affiliations of Social Work Journal Article Authors from 1999–2003: A Productivity Analysis from the United Kingdom

ABSTRACT

Following the protocols established by Ligon, Jackson, and Thyer (2007), author affiliations of 639 articles published in five UK social work journals between 1999 and 2003 were tabulated to generate a ranking of universities. Seventy-three universities published three or more articles. The findings are discussed in relation to the earlier article by Ligon et al. (2007) Ligon, J., Jackson, D. L. and Thyer, B. 2007. Academic affiliations of social work journal article authors from 1993–2003: A productivity analysis spanning 25 years of social work scholarship. Journal of Social Service Research, 33(2): 13–20. [Taylor & Francis Online] , [Google Scholar]. It is argued that a globalized approach to the analysis of the productivity of social work academics should be developed. A first step might be the integration of the U.S. and UK productivity analysis for relevant years.     

What Anonymous can tell us about the relationship between virtual community structure and participatory form

As a decentralised virtual community, Anonymous has been characterised by its oppositional tendencies. Helped by a collective persona and horizontal management structure, Anonymous has facilitated a myriad of differentiated agenda. However, we can observe a distinct change in its participatory form over time. So, while Anonymous, more broadly, functions as a virtual community, its means of engagement has shifted from a social movement to a decentralised cell network. This article explores the relationship between these changes, and its evolution as a virtual community. Drawing upon Iriberri and Leroy’s [(2009 Iriberri, A., and G. Leroy. 2009. “A Life-Cycle Perspective on Online Community Success.” ACM Computing Surveys (CSUR) 41 (2): 1–29. doi: 10.1145/1459352.1459356[Crossref], [Web of Science ®] , [Google Scholar]) “A Life-Cycle Perspective on Online Community Success.” ACM Computing Surveys (CSUR) 41 (2): 1–29] life cycle framework, the article maps Anonymous’ development and identifies the structural changes that have led to this transformation in its modes of participation.     

The Scientific Misconduct Questionnaire—Revised (SMQ-R): Validation and Psychometric Testing

Purpose: The overall purposes of this article are to report the development of a survey instrument, Scientific Misconduct Questionnaire-Revised (SMQ-R) that elicits the perceptions of research coordinators managing clinical trials about the various aspects of scientific misconduct and to present the psychometric analyses for the SMQ-R.

Methods: A panel of five researchers and research coordinators reviewed the original SMQ (Rankin and Esteeves, 1997 Rankin, M. and Esteves, M. 1997. Perceptions of scientific misconduct in nursing. Nursing Research, 46(5): 270–276. [PUBMED][CSA][CROSSREF][Crossref] , [Google Scholar]) and suggested an additional 42 items based on the review of the literature and their own experiences in research. The SMQ-Revised (SMQ-R) consists of 68 closed-choice items in six sections and one section with 12 open-ended questions. The SMQ-R was sent to 5302 persons who were members of the Association for Clinical Research Professionals (ACRP) or subscribers to Research Practitioner, published by the Center for Clinical Research Practice (CCRP).

Findings: Internal consistency of subscales was assessed with Cronbach's alpha and ranged from .83 to .84. Confirmatory factor analysis was used to test construct validity of the instrument subscales. The factor structure was assessed with the principal factors method, using the squared multiple correlations as initial communality estimates followed by varimax (orthogonal) or biquartimax (oblique) rotations. Analyses revealed five distinct factors among three subscales. Construct validity for the SMQ-R was also assessed by testing hypothesized relationships using the known groups approach.

Conclusion: The current effort demonstrated the usefulness of the SMQ-R in obtaining information from a national sample of experienced research coordinators about their perceptions of the prevalence of different types of scientific misconduct and of factors that influence the occurrence of misconduct. The psychometric evaluation of the SMQ-R suggests good internal consistency for most subscales and suggests adequate construct validity of the instrument as a whole. The analyses also suggest that further refinement of the instrument for future studies is warranted.     

Culture,Place of Origin,and Service Delivery for Latino Older Adult Immigrants: The Case of Puerto Rican Older Adults

ABSTRACT

A conceptual model for the design and implementation of effective social services for Latino older adult immigrants in the United States is proposed in this article. Built on the stage-of-migration framework (Drachman, 1992 Drachman, D. 1992. A stage-of-migration framework for service to immigrant populations. Social Work, 37: 68–72. [Web of Science ®] , [Google Scholar]), the model presented shows how the premigration service experience of Latino older adults can be used as a basis for service design and implementation in the country of immigration. The case of Puerto Rican older adult immigrants is used to illustrate how the model can be applied to understand present service utilization and develop future programs that are useful and culturally sensitive for Latino older adult immigrants.     

Fostering Integrity in Postgraduate Research: An Evidence-Based Policy and Support Framework

Postgraduate research students have a unique position in the debate on integrity in research as students and novice researchers. To assess how far policies for integrity in postgraduate research meet the needs of students as “research trainees,” we reviewed online policies for integrity in postgraduate research at nine particular Australian universities against the Australian Code for Responsible Conduct of Research (the Code) and the five core elements of exemplary academic integrity policy identified by Bretag et al. (2011 Bretag, T., Mahmud, S., Wallace, M., Walker, R., Green, M., East, J., James, C., McGowan, U. and Partridge, L. 2011. Core elements of exemplary academic integrity policy in Australian higher education. International Journal for Educational Integrity, 7: 3–12.  [Google Scholar]), i.e., access, approach, responsibility, detail, and support. We found inconsistency with the Code in the definition of research misconduct and a lack of adequate detail and support. Based on our analysis, previous research, and the literature, we propose a framework for policy and support for postgraduate research that encompasses a consistent and educative approach to integrity maintained across the university at all levels of scholarship and for all stakeholders.     

Grief and Trauma Group Therapy for Children After Hurricane Katrina

Theoretical and evidence-based group therapy models that address the interplay of grief and trauma are needed for children postdisaster. This article describes a theoretically informed 10-week grief and trauma group model that was evaluated with children in schools after Hurricane Katrina. The foundation of the grief and trauma intervention includes utilizing developmentally specific methods, an ecological perspective, and culturally relevant approaches. The theoretical ordering of themes addressed occurs within three overlapping phases: (1) resilience and safety, (2) restorative retelling, (3) and reconnecting (Herman, 1997 Herman, J. L. 1997. Trauma and recovery, New York: Basic Books.  [Google Scholar]; Rynearson, 2001 Rynearson, R. 2001. Retelling violent death, Philadelphia: Brunner-Routledge.  [Google Scholar]). Techniques from cognitive behavioral therapy and narrative therapy are combined to address loss and trauma.     

HIV and PTSD: A Confirmatory Factor Analysis of the PCL Screening Instrument

ABSTRACT

The findings are reported from a confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) of the posttraumatic screening checklist (PCL) created by Weathers et al. (1993) Weathers, F. W., Litz, B. T., Herman, D. S., Huska, J. A. and Keane, T. M. 1993. The PTSD Checklist (PCL): Reliability, validity, and diagnostic utility, Presented at Annual Meeting of the International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies, San Antonio, TX. [Google Scholar]. One hundred and eighty-six individuals receiving either preventive HIV information or ongoing HIV counseling from community-based AIDS organizations in the New York City area completed the PCL checklist. To identify a model relevant to screening posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) within the HIV/AIDS community, six CFAs were conducted. Results indicated that the PTSD scale should include attention to four general areas: a) reexperiencing the traumatic event; b) avoidance of anything associated with the traumatic event; c) a sense of numbing; and d) a hyperarousal state. The CFA produced a more concise model of 12 items, relevant to the HIV community. Future research suggests that the relationships between different components of trauma exposure and different manifestations of PTSD should be examined further.     

Enhancing Forgiveness: A Group Intervention for the Elderly

This article describes a therapeutic model of forgiveness (Enright, 2001 Enright, R. D. 2001. Forgiveness is a choice: A step-by-step process for resolving anger and restoring hope, Washington, D.C: American Psychological Association.  [Google Scholar]) and discusses its applicability to social work intervention with older adults. A total of 20 men and women, aged 57–82, participated in 2 different forgiveness groups, each of which met weekly for 8 sessions with a 4-month follow-up session. Measures of forgiveness, as well as biopsychosocial functioning, were collected before and after the group intervention. Results indicated that participants experienced long-term improvement with respect to forgiveness and depression, short-term improvement of physical health, and no change in relation to anxiety or social support. Clinical issues that emerged during the forgiveness group are discussed, and suggestions for gerontological social workers are offered.     

The Psychotherapeutic Dimensions of Clinical Case Management with a Combat Veteran

This article addresses the overlapping dimensions of clinical case management and psychotherapy. The theoretical framework that is used as the basis of analysis is drawn from the work of D. W. and Clare Winnicott. Kanter has more than adequately demonstrated that these two authors were extremely knowledgeable about clinical case management and psychotherapy. The conclusion of the paper agrees with D. W. Winnicott (1961 Winnicott, D. W. 1961. “Varieties of psychotherapy.”. In Home is where we start from: Essays by a psychoanalyst, Edited by: Winnicott, C, Shepherd, R and Davis, M. 101–111. New York: Norton.  [Google Scholar]) who defined clinical case management as a variety of psychotherapy. The shared psychotherapeutic dimensions of clinical case management are identified as a focus on human development, the importance of the facilitating/holding environment and issues related to transference and countertransference.     

The Living–Dying Interval in Nursing Home-Based End-of-Life Care: Family Caregivers' Experiences

Guided by concepts from the living–dying interval (Pattison, 1977 Pattison, E. M. 1977. The experience of dying, Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall.  [Google Scholar]) this study sought to explore family members' experiences with a dying nursing home resident. In-depth interviews were conducted with 31 caregivers of residents who had died. Interviews were audiotaped and transcribed. Themes that illuminated families' experiences on the living–dying interval were: an acute medical crisis (trigger events, accumulation of stressors, level of care crisis); the living–dying phase (advance care planning, hospitalization, end-stage decisions); and the terminal phase (beginning of the end, awareness of dying). The results illustrate critical periods for social work intervention with families of dying nursing home residents.     

Evaluating research misconduct policies at major research universities: A pilot study

This pilot study evaluates the accessibility and usefulness of the research misconduct (RM) policies at the top-25 universities as ranked by NIH and NSF grant awards. Measuring accessibility demonstrates how readily-available policies are to the people they affect. Evaluating the range of policy content indicates whether policies and procedures on research misconduct are “useful” as opposed to merely “minimal” (Rhoades, 2003 Rhoades, L. J. Policies and Procedures: Minimal or Useful. Presentation to the introductory workshop for institutional research integrity officers. University of Connecticut Health Center.  [Google Scholar]). On average, it took five clicks to get from a university's home page to its RM policies. Only nine policies were accessed within three or fewer clicks. Policy information was coded into categories comprising a total of 20 topic areas, which were then grouped into five content domains. The policies reveal a broad range of usefulness. Some provide relevant details on almost every topic area, while others leave most questions unanswered. Three of the 20 topic areas are almost universally covered in the policies analyzed. In contrast, five other topic areas average less than half of the information which could have been included. These policies, from elite U.S. research universities, may serve as role models; as such they should perhaps be held to the highest standards. If the message sent by a policy lacks clarity and precision, it should be revised to include an appropriate level of detail.     

Workplace Characteristics and Work-to-Family Conflict: Does Caregiving Frequency Matter?

Many workers can expect to provide care to an elder relative at some point during their tenure in the workforce. This study extends previous research by exploring whether caregiving frequency (providing care on a regular, weekly basis vs. intermittently) moderates the relationship between certain workplace characteristics and work-to-family conflict. Utilizing a sample of 465 respondents from the National Study of the Changing Workforce (Families and Work Institute, 2008 Families and Work Institute. (2008). National Study of the Changing Workforce [data file and code book]. https://store.familiesandwork.org (http://https://store.familiesandwork.org)  [Google Scholar]), results indicate that access to workplace flexibility has a stronger effect on reducing work-to-family conflict among intermittent caregivers than among those who provide care regularly.     

Commentary: The Public Health Consequences of an Industry-Influenced Psychiatric Taxonomy: “Attenuated Psychotic Symptoms Syndrome” as a Case Example

Determining the distribution of psychiatric disorders and developing sound preventive and intervention practices are pressing public health issues. Since at present mental disorders lack biological markers, psychiatric taxonomies must grapple with how best to address issues of validity and reliability. With the increasing congruence between the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-11) and the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-V) (American Psychiatric Association, 2010 American Psychiatric Association. 2010. Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental DisordersProposed Revisions, Fifth, Washington, D.C: American Psychiatric Association.  [Google Scholar]), it is imperative that decisions regarding the inclusion of new disorders be research-based and not unduly influenced by industry. The first draft of DSM-V, recently made public, has created a firestorm of controversy, for the DSM's nomenclature of disease or other pathology not only affects such disparate domains as jurisprudence and insurance claims but is also an instrument designed to facilitate research on psychopathology.     

Attitudes Toward Women in Health Care Organizations: A Turkish Case Study

Abstract

The aim of this article is to examine the health care employees’ attitudes toward women in health care organizations in Turkey. It was measured using a 25-item scale by Spence, Helmreich, and Stapp (1973 Spence, J. T., Helmreich, R., & Stapp, J. (1973). A short version of the Attitudes toward Women Scale (AWS). Bulletin of the Psychonomic Society, 2(4), 219–220. doi:10.3758/BF03329252[Crossref] , [Google Scholar]). The study was conducted on 541 employees: 279 males and 262 females. Structural equation model (SEM) was applied to analyze the relationship between gender, marital status, and income and attitudes toward woman. The result of this analysis showed that the relations between gender, marital status, and income and attitudes toward woman were statistically significant. All three hypotheses were statistically supported. This result indicated that employees’ marital status and (monthly) income significantly predicted their scores of attitudes toward woman in a positive direction. Besides, employees’ gender significantly predicted their scores of attitudes toward woman in an inverse direction. Future research can focus on investigating the effects of the attitudes toward women on other elements (e.g., performance, motivation, job satisfaction) or a wider sample to reach more generalized results.