Understanding engagement in the Program of Assertive Community Treatment (PACT) from the perspectives of individuals receiving treatment

ABSTRACT

Engagement of individuals with serious mental illnesses in community mental health services is a significant challenge. The Program of Assertive Community Treatment (PACT) is an individual-centered and self-contained mental health program that provides psychiatric treatment, rehabilitation, and support services to persons with serious mental illness who have a history of or likelihood of disengagement with services. Understanding what helps and hinders consumers’ involvement in PACT services may provide information on how to tailor engagement strategies to individuals based on their treatment needs and preferences. The current study builds on existing studies by exploring factors that help and hinder engagement in PACT services from the perspectives of individuals receiving treatment. We conducted open-ended, semi-structured interviews with 17 individuals receiving PACT services. Nine themes were identified through thematic analysis: Desirable qualities of PACT, Focusing on positive outcomes, PACT as a safety net, Recovery orientation, Practical barriers, Conflictual relationships, and Medication side-effects. We conclude that the development of a trusting, therapeutic relationship that is collaborative and person-centered and that is facilitated by both practical and emotional support is critical to engaging individuals in treatment and maximizing positive outcomes.     

Wilderness adventure therapy effects on the mental health of youth participants

Adventure therapy offers a prevention, early intervention, and treatment modality for people with behavioural, psychological, and psychosocial issues. It can appeal to youth-at-risk who are often less responsive to traditional psychotherapeutic interventions. This study evaluated Wilderness Adventure Therapy (WAT) outcomes based on participants’ pre-program, post-program, and follow-up responses to self-report questionnaires. The sample consisted of 36 adolescent out-patients with mixed mental health issues who completed a 10-week, manualised WAT intervention. The overall short-term standardised mean effect size was small, positive, and statistically significant (0.26), with moderate, statistically significant improvements in psychological resilience and social self-esteem. Total short-term effects were within age-based adventure therapy meta-analytic benchmark 90% confidence intervals, except for the change in suicidality which was lower than the comparable benchmark. The short-term changes were retained at the three-month follow-up, except for family functioning (significant reduction) and suicidality (significant improvement). For participants in clinical ranges pre-program, there was a large, statistically significant reduction in depressive symptomology, and large to very large, statistically significant improvements in behavioural and emotional functioning. These changes were retained at the three-month follow-up. These findings indicate that WAT is as effective as traditional psychotherapy techniques for clinically symptomatic people. Future research utilising a comparison or wait-list control group, multiple sources of data, and a larger sample, could help to qualify and extend these findings.     

新泽西州高质量阿博特学前教育项目及其政策启示

在追求公平与质量的学前教育时代背景下,推动大型公共学前教育项目以保障弱势儿童群体的受教育权是政府的应尽责任和重要任务。当前我国公共学前教育项目正处于起步阶段,可多方借鉴有效学前教育项目的国际经验。本研究以新泽西州阿博特学前教育项目（Abbott Preschool Program）这一被公认为高效能的项目为对象,重点探讨了该项目在政策保障与政府执行、财政投入与供给模式、多层质量标准体系、高标准教师队伍以及监测系统构建等方面的核心举措,总结了该项目的中短期成效和问题反思,并结合当前我国学前教育项目的实施现状,从支持保障系统、质量提升系统、项目设计核心要素等方面提出了相应政策建议。     

Impact of support networks for breastfeeding: A multicentre study

Background

The rates of breastfeeding worldwide are slowly improving since 1996. Europe is still trailing behind the global breastfeeding incidence and prevalence rates. Thus, breastfeeding promotion, protection, prolongation and support have become an important challenge as breastfeeding sharply decreases in the first six months of life.

How local health departments work towards health equity

BackgroundHealth inequities are exacerbated when health promotion programs and resources do not reach selected populations. Local health departments (LHDs)¹ have the potential to address health equity via engaging priority populations in their work. However, we do not have an understanding of what local agencies are doing on this front.MethodsIn the summer of 2016, we collaborated with informants from thirteen LHDs across North Carolina. Via semi-structured interviews, the research team asked informants about their LHD’s understanding of health equity and engaging priority populations in program planning, implementation, and evaluation.FindingsAll informants discussed that a key function of their LHD was to improve the health of all residents. LHDs with a more comprehensive understanding of health equity engaged members of priority populations in their organizations’ efforts to a greater extent than LHDs with a more limited understanding. Additionally, while all LHDs identified similar barriers to engaging priority populations, LHDs that identified facilitators more comprehensively engaged members of the priority population in program planning, implementation, and evaluation.ConclusionsLHDs are ideally situated between the research and practice worlds to address health equity locally. To promote this work, we should ensure LHDs hold an understanding of health equity, have the means to realize facilitators of health equity work, and recognize the complex context in which health equity work exists.     

在VB5.0中实现和单片机串行通信方法

本文具体介绍了利用ＶＢ５．０的通讯控件ＭＳＣＯＭＭ３２．ＯＣＸ和单片机进行串行通信的方法——查表法发达和接收。     

论尼尔森对《哥达纲领批判》的政治哲学解读

凯·尼尔森从政治哲学的角度对《哥达纲领批判》进行了较为本真的解读,认为马克思葆有一种正义观,马克思对资本主义的批判是被理论渗透的经验论述和道德评价。马克思的正义观要求我们应当根据具体的历史背景和特定的生产方式判断社会现象的正义性。共产主义两个阶段有着与其生产力发展水平相适应的正义原则,无产阶级的正义诉求绝不是追求所谓的“消除一切社会的和政治的不平等”,而是消灭阶级。     

Considering child care and parenting needs in Veterans Affairs mental health services

Child care and parenting needs of adults with mental illness are of growing concern, especially among those seeking Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) mental health services. One area of interest concerns the possible benefits that on-site child care could have for improving veterans’ access to VA mental health care. Child care programs are currently being piloted at the VA for the first time, although the need for them has not been evaluated. We conducted a brief survey of a convenience sample of 147 veterans (132 men, 15 women) seeking mental health care at outpatient clinics and/or at a psychiatric rehabilitation center at one VA. Participants were asked about their attitudes and experiences regarding child care and parenting support at the VA. Of the 52 (35.4%) participants who responded and had children under 18, the majority of both men and women surveyed agreed that the VA should offer child care services and that they would use child care services at the VA if it were available. These results are based on a small sample of participants, but they may contribute to ongoing discussion and efforts to develop “family-friendly” mental health services.     

音乐类电视娱乐节目传播研究

本文对我国现代流行音乐的审美特征进行简要阐述，指出了优秀音乐类电视娱乐节目的重要性，对国内的此类节目进行梳理，研究以音乐为卖点的电视娱乐节目如何才能成功吸引各类受众，为受众带来真正的视听盛宴。