The Journal of Mental Health Training Education and Practice

Saguem, Bochra Nourhene; Bouzaâbia, Zeineb; Braham, Amel; Ben Nasr, Selma

2020 The Journal of Mental Health Training Education and Practice

doi: 10.1108/jmhtep-05-2020-0033

The purpose of this paper was to assess empathy dimensions in Tunisian psychiatry trainees and to evaluate their relationship with relevant professional and extra-professional factors.Design/methodology/approachAn online questionnaire survey was administered to the psychiatry trainees affiliated in the four faculties of medicine of Tunisia (n = 120). It comprised, in addition to sociodemographic and professional variables, the interpersonal reactivity index, a multidimensional instrument that evaluates perspective taking, empathic concern, personal distress and fantasy. Other self-report measures were used to assess emotion regulation, social support and self-efficacy. Data were analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences.FindingsThe response rate was 71%. Descriptive statistics showed that personal distress’ scores were lower than the other empathy dimensions’ scores. Perspective taking scores were negatively correlated with emotion regulation difficulties. Personal distress scores were positively correlated with emotion regulation difficulties. Hierarchical regression analysis revealed that being an only child significantly contributed to perspective taking and having an extra-professional activity significantly contributed to less personal distress. Perceived stress, social support and having a master’s degree were significant predictors for empathic concern. Self-efficacy was a significant predictor of perspective taking, with emotion regulation difficulties mediating this relationship.Practical implicationsInterventions dedicated to improve psychiatry trainees’ empathy should focus not only on clinical practice and medical education but also on emotional support and recovery activities.Originality/valueA unique feature of this study is the investigation of the potential impacts of emotion regulation difficulties and perceived self-efficacy on empathic abilities of psychiatry trainees.

Ford-Jones, Polly Christine; Daly, Tamara

2020 The Journal of Mental Health Training Education and Practice

doi: 10.1108/jmhtep-05-2020-0031

Paramedics increasingly attend to mental health-related emergencies; however, there has been little evaluation of the mental health training for paramedics. This study aims to analyze the fit between paramedicine pedagogy, patient needs and the conditions for paramedics’ skill development.Design/methodology/approachData were collected in a single, qualitative, critical ethnographic case study of pre-hospital mental health and psychosocial care in paramedicine in Ontario, Canada. Transcripts from interviews (n = 46), observation (n ∼ 90h) and document analysis were thematically analyzed using a constant comparative method. The study is theoretically grounded in a feminist political economy framework.FindingsTensions are explored in relation to the pedagogy of paramedicine and the conditions of work faced by paramedics. The paper presents challenges and insufficiencies with existing training, the ways in which certain work and training are valued and prioritized, increased emergency care and training needs and the limitations of training to improving care.Research limitations/implicationsRecommendations include more comprehensive didactic training, including the social determinants of health; scenario training; practicum placements in mental health or social services; collaboration with mental health and social services to further develop relevant curriculum and potential inclusion of service users.Originality/valueThis paper addresses the lack of mental health pedagogy in Ontario and internationally and the need for further training pre-certification and while in the workforce. It presents promising practices to ameliorate mental health training and education for paramedics.

Griffiths, Louise; Bailey, Di; Slade, Karen

2020 The Journal of Mental Health Training Education and Practice

doi: 10.1108/jmhtep-01-2020-0004

Without exception, research on the contribution of the Prison Listener Scheme as a form of peer support for those who self-harm in custody has focussed on men in prison. Women’s experience of custody is shaped by their experiences of hegemonic masculinity that also mediate through women’s roles as mothers and caregivers. Women’s self-harm is similarly influenced by these gendered experiences. The purpose of this paper is to explore how the Listener Scheme as a form of peer-to-peer support for women contributes to women managing their self-harm in a female prison.Design/methodology/approachThe paper used a case study design with a mixed-methods approach using a quantitative questionnaire with prison staff (n = 65) and women in custody who had self-harmed (n = 30). Qualitative methods included a focus group with Prison Listeners (n10) and semi-structured interviews with women who self-harm (n10) and prison staff (n10). Four days were also spent observing the prison environment.FindingsFindings suggest that women seek support from other women as peer Listeners for three main reasons; their previous difficult experiences with men, a displacement of the mother role and their attachment needs in custody. Research suggests that women often have significant addictions and mental health concerns and are more likely than their male counterparts to engage in self-harm (Prison Reform Trust, 2017). In addition, women’s self-harm acts as a coping method for “intrapersonal issues” which documents self-harm as a result of frustration and lack of control in custody as opposed to “interpersonal issues” which documents self-harm as a result of relationship difficulties with partners (Walker et al., 2017). This paper suggests that peer support schemes internationally should be tailored to providing support for these types of gendered experience to support women who self-harm in custody. This has implications for the training and support of Listeners in women’s prisons.Research limitations/implicationsThis exploratory research was conducted in one female prison and while can be considered to test proof of concept is limited in its generalisability.Originality/valueThis paper suggests that Listeners providing peer-to-peer support for women in custody who self-harm may encounter triggers for this behaviour based on women’s experiences including; how women relate to men; women’s experience of the way custody displaces their role as mothers and women’s need for safe attachments in custody. These gendered experiences have implications for the training and development of peer support schemes in women’s prisons, such as the Listener scheme. Further research is needed to compare the gendered types of support Prison Listeners provide depending on whether they are in male or female prisons.