Examining clinical skills and abilities in psychology – implementation and evaluation of an objective structured clinical examination in psychologySundström, Anna E.; Hakelind, Camilla
2023 The Journal of Mental Health Training Education and Practice
doi: 10.1108/jmhtep-10-2021-0124
Assessment of complex clinical skills and abilities is a challenge in mental health education. In the present study, an objective structured clinical examination (OSCE) was adapted to psychology and implemented in a Master in Psychology program. The purpose of the present study was to examine aspects of validity of this OSCE.Design/methodology/approachA total of 55 students enrolled in the Master in the Psychology program at Umeå University, Sweden, participated in two OSCE occasions. In addition to OSCE data, questionnaires were administered immediately after the OSCE to students (n = 18) and examiners (n = 13) to examine their perceptions of the OSCE.FindingsThe results provided support for different aspects of validity. The level of internal consistency was close to acceptable, and there was a good correspondence between global ratings and checklist scores for many stations. However, adding an additional category to the global rating scale and reviewing some of the station checklists might improve the assessment further. The present cut-score of the OSCE was comparable to a cut-score set by the borderline regression model. In general, students and examiners perceived the OSCE as a high-quality examination, although examiners raised some issues that could improve the OSCE further.Originality/valueIn conclusion, OSCE is a promising assessment in psychology, both from a psychometric perspective and from a test-taker and examiner perspective. The present study is an important contribution to the field as there are only a few examples where OSCE has been used in clinical psychology, and to the best of the authors’ knowledge, this paper is the first to evaluate the validity of such an assessment.
Health-care undergraduate student’s attitudes towards mental illness following anti-stigma education: a critical review of the literaturePursehouse, Lucy
2023 The Journal of Mental Health Training Education and Practice
doi: 10.1108/jmhtep-09-2021-0112
There has been growing awareness underpinned with legislative recognition of the need to reduce the stigma attached to mental health. Education is seen as an integral factor for this endeavour. The purpose of this paper is to review existing literature to determine both positive and negative attitudinal changes of health-care-related undergraduate students towards mental illness after a training intervention within higher education.Design/methodology/approachA search of papers written in the English Language was conducted between 2004 and 2021, using CINAHL, Eric, Educational Research Complete, Medline, psychINFO and SocIndex. Search terms used were undergraduate, attitudes or perceptions, mental illness/mental ill health, education, stigma and students.FindingsIn total, 24 studies were critically reviewed, which included experimental, descriptive and exploratory designs. The appraisal of papers used recognised evaluation tools to review the methodological quality. Findings suggest that overall, anti-stigma education has a significant positive effect for student attitudinal change.Research limitations/implicationsMental health anti-stigma education is beneficial for changing attitudes, however, more bio-medically framed training is less powerful for initiating change. Learning from those with the lived experience appears to have a more sustainable impact as indicated in some of the studies. There is a need for more exploratory research to gain further knowledge on the critical educational mechanisms that may foster more long-term reframing of positive attitudes towards mental health.Practical implicationsTraining providers need to consider the compelling evidence base surrounding anti-stigma pedagogy that supports the use of individuals with experience of mental ill health within the educational processes.Social implicationsMental health stigma has potential for profound negative impact on individuals and at a wider societal level. Education is central to enable learners to consider their attitudes to mental illness to reduce stigmatising attitudes. Students on health-care-related courses are influential in becoming catalysts for change.Originality/valueThis paper has critically reviewed the literature examining the attitudes of health-care-related undergraduate students following anti-stigma education, offering insights into some of positive and negative attitudinal changes and opinions of the event. In particular contributing to an understanding on the important components for eradicating the stigma surrounding mental health.
Reflective monitoring as an iterative process in clinical teaching: lessons from online undergraduate psychiatry teaching during COVID-19Mateos Rodriguez, Irene; Syed, Saba; Wilkinson, Paul; Tulinius, Charlotte
2023 The Journal of Mental Health Training Education and Practice
doi: 10.1108/jmhtep-10-2021-0122
During the COVID-19 outbreak, clinical schools across the UK were forced to switch their learning from face-to-face to online platforms. This paper aims to describe the experiences of psychiatry teachers and medical students at Cambridge University of the online psychiatry case-based tutorials during the COVID-19 outbreak and the lessons learned from this implementation.Design/methodology/approachThe authors conducted qualitative focus groups with students followed by in-depth individual interviews with students and teachers.FindingsIn a data-led systematic text condensation analysis, this study found seven themes: the COVID-19 context, the structure of the course, teachers’ educational ethos, beyond the (teaching) script, possibilities for learning or teaching reflective practice, attitudes to online learning and suggestions for future development. The authors then applied the normalisation process theory (NPT) as the theoretical frame of reference. This model has previously been applied to the implementation of telemedicine in psychiatry, to understand how new technology can become embedded in clinical care.Originality/valueThis study’s results show how the NPT model can be modified to support the delivery of medical education online, including reflective learning and practice as an iterative process at every stage of the implementation and delivery of the teaching.
Links between reading acquisition level, emotional difficulties and academic performance in school-aged childrenIhbour, Said; Essaidi, Oumaima; Laaroussi, Meriem; Najimi, Mohamed; Chigr, Fatiha
2023 The Journal of Mental Health Training Education and Practice
doi: 10.1108/jmhtep-05-2021-0040
This study aims to examine the associations between reading difficulties, anxiety and depressive symptoms, self-esteem status and academic achievement among children of school age in the Moroccan context.Design/methodology/approachThis cross-sectional study was carried out on 302 Moroccan students aged 9 to 16 years, the latter having voluntarily participated in the different stages of the proposed assessments. Standardized reading tests administered individually allowed us to classify participants into three groups (good readers, intermediate level and weak readers). The subjects completed the measurements of three self-evaluative scales: the Beck depression inventory, the Coopersmith scale of self-esteem and the Taylor questionnaire of manifest anxiety. The variable of academic achievement is constituted by calculating the grade point averages of the last three semesters.FindingsEmotional disturbances are more frequent in the “weak readers” and the “intermediate level” group when compared to the good readers. Academic achievement and reading level are negatively correlated with anxious-depressive symptoms and positively with self-esteem at each reading level; the analysis of the results does not show any relevant difference in terms of the psychopathological disorder intensity between girls and boys.Research limitations/implicationsThis study emphasizes improving education and psychological support for learners. It also encourages the strengthening of strategies for dealing with learning disabilities and the emotional distress associated with them.Practical implicationsThe trend toward an inclusive school and the recruitment of school psychologists is advantages to be considered in the Moroccan educational system.Originality/valueIn addition to psychopathological vulnerability and academic failure, the social and family dimensions of self-esteem are impaired in weak readers.
Risk factors affecting the mental health of first-year university students on a health sciences campus and related factorsErol, Saime; Gur, Kamer; Karaca, Semra; Çalık, K. Burcu; Uzuner, Arzu; Apaydın Kaya, Çiğdem
2023 The Journal of Mental Health Training Education and Practice
doi: 10.1108/jmhtep-03-2022-0015
The purpose of this study is to determine the mental health status and risk factors for the mental health of first-year university students on a health sciences campus.Design/methodology/approachThis is a descriptive study. The research was conducted with first-year students in the health sciences, dentistry and medical faculties of a state university (n = 770). The data were collected with a sociodemographic questionnaire, the Risk Behavior of Young Adults Survey, the Bergen Insomnia Scale, General Health Questionnaire-28 and the Mental Health Improvement Scale. Body mass ındex was calculated.FindingsAmong the students, 53.7% experienced feelings of hopelessness in the last year and 1% had attempted suicide. The percentage of students found to be at risk in terms of mental health was 41.9%; 39.4% reported that they suffered from insomnia. It was found that those who had been subjected to bullying, felt hopelessness, had suicidal thoughts, planned to commit suicide and students who experienced sleeping problems were more at risk in terms of psychological issues (p < 0.01). Insomnia (β: 3.341) and smoking (β: 2.226) were identified as the strongest risk factors for mental health in first-year health sciences students (p < 0.005).Practical implicationsThe results of the research offer an opportunity to get to know the characteristics of first-year university students who are at risk for mental health. It offers the opportunity to closely monitor and protect the mental health of students starting from the first grade.Originality/valueIn this study, it was determined that approximately half of the first-year university students were in the risk group in terms of mental health. Female gender, having a chronic illness, smoking a day or more in the past 30 days, not doing any physical activity, having a weak BMI, being bullied in the past 12 months, being cyberbullied in the past 12 months and having insomnia have been identified as risk factors that negatively affect mental health.
The effectiveness of happiness training on quality of life in women with premenstrual syndrome: a randomized, controlled, clinical trialTanhayi, Azize; Mirghafourvand, Mojgan; Kondori, Jafar; Moheb, Naiemeh; Malakutie, Jamileh; Hajizadeh, Khadije
2023 The Journal of Mental Health Training Education and Practice
doi: 10.1108/jmhtep-10-2020-0072
Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) can disrupt women’s work process, social activities and interpersonal communication and lead to a lower quality of life (QOL). This study aims to determine the effectiveness of happiness training based on Fordyce’s theory on QOL and the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS) in women with PMS.Design/methodology/approachThis randomized controlled trial was conducted on 100 women (intervention = 50, control = 50). The intervention group participated in eight 120-min sessions of training counseling based on Fordyce happiness training. The participants completed a sociodemographic questionnaire, the PANAS and the 36-Item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36). A general linear model was used to compare the mean scores of QOL and positive and negative affect after the intervention.FindingsAfter the intervention, the mean scores of negative affect [MD = −6.12; 95% confidence interval (CI) = −12.10 to −1.49] and body pain (MD = −26.19; 95% CI = −38.63 to −13.72) were significantly lower in the intervention compared to the control group. Also, the mean scores of physical functioning (MD = 42.0; 95% CI = 16.37 to 67.64) and vitality (MD = 10.40; 95% CI = 4.86 to 15.39) were significantly higher in the intervention group compared to the controls.Practical implicationsFordyce happiness training is recommended to be used in conjunction with other supportive and caregiving methods for women with PMS. Midwifes and nurses are the main source to give this training to women and can help them perform cognitive tasks, such as concentration, positive thinking and negative emotions.Originality/valueThis randomized controlled trial suggests Fordyce happiness training as a feasible and acceptable training program that can be beneficial in reducing negative affect in women with PMS.
Mental health, stigma and psychologists’ lived experience of caringBurrows, Angela; Warner, Claire; Heath, Jennifer; Keville, Saskia
2023 The Journal of Mental Health Training Education and Practice
doi: 10.1108/jmhtep-03-2022-0018
Mental health (MH) and caring can be demanding for those directly and indirectly impacted. An under-researched area is that of professionals’ personal experiences of caring for a loved one with MH difficulties. This study aims to provide an in-depth exploration of psychologists’ experiences of caring and its impact on clinical practice.Design/methodology/approachA total of 11 psychologists with experiences of caring for a loved one with a diagnosed MH condition and/or MH distress participated in semi-structured interviews focused on caring experiences and its impact. Transcripts were analysed using thematic analysis.FindingsThemes identified were as follows: personal and professional roles; the emergence of a carer identity; carer stress and strain; impact on professional practice; and dual positioning.Originality/valueThis study highlighted the knowledge and value of listening to professionals with lived experiences. Their ability to understand stigmatisation through personal caring experiences may facilitate the mitigation of this for vulnerable people attending clinical services.