The Journal of Mental Health Training Education and Practice

Riba, Molefeng Isaac; Saunderson, Ian Peter

2022 The Journal of Mental Health Training Education and Practice

doi: 10.1108/jmhtep-10-2021-0127

The purpose of this paper is to discuss stigma and insensitive communication surrounding mental illness discourse amongst adolescents in the Polokwane Local Municipality against the background of a Foucauldian lens.Design/methodology/approachThe literature reviewed included a discussion of perspectives on stigma and insensitive communication, contextualisation of the dual health–belief system in South Africa and the Foucauldian governmentality theoretical perspective. The methodology was based on a Foucauldian orientation and Geertz’ interpretivism. The methods followed to analyse the discourse were Foucauldian discourse analysis (FDA), coupled with Geertz' “thick description.” The data were collected from six focus group discussions, which consisted of a total of 36 informants.FindingsThe findings indicated the dominance of the biomedicine discourse, neoliberal rationalisations for self-care and the policy of deinstitutionalisation.Practical implicationsThe implications for practice using an FDA approach combined with an interpretivist stance exposes the actions, institutions, possibilities for action whilst understanding core beliefs in a complex dual health and religious belief setting. The addition of Geertz’s interpretivism adds a cultural flare and insight, which adds to the depth of the analysis.Originality/valueThe complexity of beliefs, experiences and health choices calls for culturally sensitive discourse about mental illness and also highlights how discourse about individual conduct and self-care is embedded in the discourse used by adolescents.

Evans, Nicola; Edwards, Deborah; Chick, Phill

2022 The Journal of Mental Health Training Education and Practice

doi: 10.1108/jmhtep-05-2020-0023

The purpose of this mixed methods rapid study was to identify the barriers and facilitators to implement relational and environmental risk management approaches to manage suicidality in inpatient services.Design/methodology/approachTo achieve this within a short timeframe, a rapid review approach was chosen. Both research (qualitative and quantitative studies) and non-research material (policies, guidance and reports) were retrieved. The review was conducted across five databases: MEDLINE, EMBASE, EMCARE, PsycINFO and CINAHL for English language citations within the last ten years (2009 –2019).FindingsA total of 17 primary research papers and a further 73 reviews and grey literature were included. There was evidence that the removal of anti-ligature equipment, by which regular checks of the environment to identify and remove ligature points and increased levels of observation are carried out well, reduces suicide in hospital.Research limitations/implicationsThere is a gap in research investigating “engagement activities” eliciting exactly what they are and determining how they might be effective. There is a need for new innovative ways for managing risk of suicide in hospitals that bring together meaningful engagement and maintaining safety.Originality/valueKeeping people safe during an inpatient stay in a mental health service is a core function of mental health practitioners. This paper brings together what is already known about risk management and highlights areas for further investigation.

Doyle, Michael; Garnham, Mike; Carter, Sharon; Ventress, Mike

2022 The Journal of Mental Health Training Education and Practice

doi: 10.1108/jmhtep-09-2021-0113

Risk assessment is a fundamental part of clinical practice in mental health and learning disability services in the UK. Most services use a tool or framework to structure their clinical judgments, but there does not appear to be a consensus on which risk assessment tool should be used. This paper aims to describe the development, implementation and evaluation of an evidence-based formulation informed risk management (FIRM) framework in mental health and LD services.Design/methodology/approachThe development of FIRM and evaluation was based on the model for improvement, with an emphasis on co-production broken down into three distinct yet interdependent phases of co-production: co-design, co-create and co-deliver. Following the implementation of the FIRM framework, a post-implementation survey was distributed to a sample of clinical staff to capture experiences in the first three months post-implementation.FindingsThe three co-production stages were pivotal for successful implementation in clinical practice. The key ingredients for success seemed to be acknowledging human factors and varied responses to change, communication, engagement and involvement of stakeholders. Early evaluation post-implementation demonstrated the benefits in terms of confidence in use, formulation of risk, risk management and communication. Further quality improvement initiatives are underway to evaluate impact up to 12 months post-implementation and to improve the quality of FIRM in practice. Future research is planned to look at enhancing personalised risk assessment and management.Originality/valueThis paper describes and demonstrates the value of co-production with clinicians and stakeholders in service development. The FIRM has improved the clinical practice of risk assessment, formulation and management and use of digital technology.

Kumar, Vimal; Mittal, Ankesh; Sharma, Alok Kumar; Ahmad, Ramli

2022 The Journal of Mental Health Training Education and Practice

doi: 10.1108/jmhtep-07-2021-0081

Stress is the most common emotional or mental state that employees experience during their work. The employees in academics and industry are facing increased levels of stress as they progress through their work. The study aims to investigate the relationship between academic and industry employees’ stress personalities. West Coast psychological consultants Mary Dempcy and Rene Tihista distinguish between the seven various types of stress and offer suggestions to deal with it.Design/methodology/approachIn this study, the authors have built a survey questionnaire using a sample of 195 respondents from the industry and academic of North India and analysed their responses to find their stress personalities at work. The Independent sample t-test approach has been applied to analyse the employee stress personality.FindingsThe study finds out that stress is a sophisticated defence mechanism that is unique to each individual and varies depending on the environment. Using employee response of academic and industry, the study covers the essence of seven types of stress for individuals, and that lent good support to the framed hypothesis.Research limitations/implicationsThese seven types of stress have importance and different levels to knowing their appropriateness to the individuals and suggest to take necessary action of plan. It shows the individuals feel about stress, how the bodies react to it and how to cope with it are all indicators of the personalities, attitudes and adaptability.Originality/valueThe novelty of this study is to apply Mary Dempcy and Rene Tihista’s stress personalities compared with the two respective categories.

Ançel, Gülsüm; Çekiç, Yasemin; Canbulat, Şahinde

2022 The Journal of Mental Health Training Education and Practice

doi: 10.1108/jmhtep-08-2021-0100

Students have an opportunity to integrate their theoretical knowledge into practice, develop skills to provide quality nursing care and gain clinical experience by using care plans. For this reason, it is important and necessary to identify students’ feelings, opinions and behaviors regarding care plans. This study aims to evaluate students’ opinions about working with a care plan to develop a realistic practice and achievable goals in clinical training of mental health nursing education.Design/methodology/approachA total of 90 senior nursing students were enrolled in this study, and data were collected from 63 students who received informed consent. In the data collection, a structured “Learning-Teaching Process Assessment Form” which consists of two parts created by the researchers in accordance with the qualitative research model was applied at the end of training period. The data were analyzed manually by researchers with “thematic analysis” method.FindingsThe analysis of data revealed three categories and ten themes. More than half of the students stated that they were not satisfied with the care plan, but they found working with a care plan as realistic, whereas the majority of them found it difficult planning a care plan, but found it beneficial to working with the care plan.Originality/valueThis study results show that different strategies are needed for students to implement nursing process effectively.

Horton, Nicole; Drayton, Mike; Wilcox, Daniel Thomas; Dymond, Harriet

2022 The Journal of Mental Health Training Education and Practice

doi: 10.1108/jmhtep-05-2021-0048

This paper aims to describe the use of an innovative resilience-building training programme delivered to NHS Safeguarding Leads and other participating professionals over a five-month period concluding in March 2019. The developers used knowledge and expertise in both the fields of psychology and drama-based learning to promote comprehension, retention and a capacity for using and conveying these strategies to other health-care workers.Design/methodology/approachAttendees were given pre- and post-questionnaires to examine the effectiveness of the training in terms of understanding the stages of burnout, developing an awareness of personal risk factors that may be associated with potential burnout and their perceptions of the confidence they have in both evaluating their personal resilience and using acquired skills and coping techniques that they may apply to their personal and professional lives. A Wilcoxon Signed Ranks test was administered, to assess the significance of the difference between pre- and post-training scores.FindingsFollowing the training, participants reported statistically significant improvements relating to their understanding of terms, including “burnout”. They also reported an increased awareness of their personal risk factors associated with burnout and felt more resilient having completed the training. Statistically significant changes were reported in all of these areas, with the drama element of the training being commended on about one third of all feedback forms where, with the post-test results, a narrative (unscored) opportunity for feedback was sought.Research limitations/implicationsThe authors note that a long-term follow-up of retention and use of this training was not undertaken, though they consider that, post-pandemic, this necessary training can be reinitiated and that, as with other professional initiatives, video-engagement technology may be, through innovative efforts, merged with these effective training techniques as an option for future training applications.Practical implicationsTo the best of the authors’ knowledge, this training programme was the first of its kind to use a psychologically underpinned drama-based didactic approach to build resilience and protect against burnout. The results of this paper show that this training used an effective and efficient medium for successfully meeting these primary objectives.Social implicationsIt is considered that using a similar training approach would be effective in building resilience and preventing burnout in health-care professionals.Originality/valueThis paper evaluates the effectiveness of an innovative resilience-building training programme drawing upon the field of psychology and drama-based learning to support safeguarding professionals within the NHS.

McNaughton, Kimie Maree; Isobel, Sophie; Phelan, Liam; Quilty, Emma

2022 The Journal of Mental Health Training Education and Practice

doi: 10.1108/jmhtep-10-2021-0128

Trauma-informed care and practice (TICP) has gained international attention since the mid-1990s, but its recent adoption in Australia has been met with various barriers, including a lack of training and education opportunities to enhance professional knowledge and practice. This paper aims to identify and further understand what is occurring in TICP training and education for health and human service professionals in Australia; specifically, what is known about TICP content and training strategies being used.Design/methodology/approachA scoping methodology was used to undertake a systematic search of the literature to identify and map the scope and nature of research activity on TICP training and education for professionals in Australia. Based on the predetermined inclusion and exclusion criteria, removal of duplications, abstract review and full-text screening, six studies met the inclusion criteria for content analysis in this review.FindingsThe studies showed that TICP training and education was occurring predominantly in the Australian health sector for nursing professionals and improved knowledge, confidence to respond to disclosures of trauma and approaches to care. Training was commonly delivered through one-day workshops and brief Web-based approaches. The findings suggested that there is a need for consensus on TICP content to ensure that fidelity to the principles of TICP is promoted in unique workplace settings and for ongoing commitment by relevant stakeholders and funding bodies.Originality/valueTo the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first review exploring what is happening across disciplines and sectors for trauma-informed education. The findings have implications for clinicians, professionals, educators and researchers.

Catling, Jonathan; Michail, Maria; Lakhani, Noureen; Devine, Rory

2022 The Journal of Mental Health Training Education and Practice

doi: 10.1108/jmhtep-08-2021-0092

The continued increase in mental health problems in students in higher education is a global public health concern. This study aims to examine the predictors of mental health in the context of higher education, focusing on first-year female undergraduate students as a particularly vulnerable group.Design/methodology/approachTwo hundred first-year female undergraduates from a UK Higher Education Institution took part in a quantitative survey. Participants completed a range of questionnaires assessing resilience, perceived stress, levels of depression, hope, general anxiety and levels of exercise.FindingsTwo significant individual predictors of depression were identified: perceived stress and resilience. A mediation analysis showed that resilience acted as mediator for the impact of stress on depression. Two significant individual predictors of anxiety were identified: stress and exercise. There were no significant mediators.Originality/valueTo the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first time a range of psychological and lifestyle predictors of mental health while exploring potential mediators have been investigated. From the findings, the authors suggest that psychoeducational interventions targeting resilience while also providing problem-solving strategies could augment internal resources and promote positive mental health in this particularly vulnerable group of young people.