Denna studie utforskar BVC-sköterskors upplevelse av att använda familjeperspektivet för att belysa barns psykiska hälsa och utveckling. Frågans relevans bottnar i att barnhälsovården i Sverige har en unik möjlighet och utmaning när det gäller både ett preventivt och behandlande arbete med familjer. Undersökningen bygger på kvalitativa intervjuer med fem barnsjuksköterskor från tre olika barnavårdscentraler i Stockholm. Insamlad data bearbetades med tematisk analys. Resultaten visar på flera utmaningar som uppstår i arbetet med att möta frågor som rör familjeperspektivet. Det handlar både om upplevelser av bristande kompetens, till en frustration över att inte veta vart man ska vända sig med familjerna när man identifierat brister och ex.vis psykisk ohälsa. Resultaten visar även på betydelsen av att verka i dessa fält, trots svårigheterna, inte minst ur utvecklingspsykologiska aspekter. Resultaten är i linje med teori och aktuell forskning och väcker frågor kring hur väl barnhälsovårdens uppdrag uppfylls. / This study explores the BVC nurses' experience of using the family perspective to highlight children's mental health and development. The relevance stems from the child health care in Sweden has a unique opportunity and challenge in terms of both preventive and therapeutic work with families. The study is based on qualitative interviews with five childcare nurses from three different child healthcare centers in Stockholm. The collected data was processed with thematic analysis. The results show several challenges that arise in the work of meeting family-related issues. It is both experiences of lack of skills, a frustration about not knowing where to turn with families when identifying deficiencies in for example mental health. The results also show the importance of working in these fields, despite the difficulties, not least from developmental psychological aspects. The results are in line with theory and current research and raise questions about how well the child health care mission is fulfilled.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Oregon, 2003. / Typescript. Includes vita and abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 215-234). Also available for download via the World Wide Web; free to University of Oregon users.

These three studies use two waves of the National Survey of Families and Households to investigate the influence of parents’ religious commitment and involvement on children’s internalizing and externalizing problems over time. In addition, the analyses will examine of different forms of family instability and parenting practices mediates this relationship. Furthermore, does parental religiosity moderate the relationship between instability and children’s mental health problems? The first study shows that children whose parents are both religiously unaffiliated, exhibit elevated internalizing problems compared to children from mixed-faith households. Evangelical Protestant affiliation moderated the relationship between parents’ frequent arguments and internalizing problems. In addition, children whose mothers are more theologically conservative than the fathers show elevated levels of internalizing problems. In addition, theological dissimilarity (mothers more conservative) plays a moderating role between frequent arguments and internalizing problems. The second study shows that children from religiously homogamous households, exhibit lower than average externalizing problems. In addition, fathers’ religious involvement protects their children from externalizing problems, even when accounting for various forms of family instability and parenting practices. Furthermore, children whose mothers are more theologically conservative than fathers, show elevated levels of some externalizing problems. Structural equation modeling analyses show that parents’ socioeconomic status is related to parental religious dissimilarity, parental divorce and parental praise of children. When mothers are more theologically conservative than fathers, these couples are at higher likelihood of frequent parental arguments. As a consequence, their children are at an elevated likelihood of difficulty concentrating, internalizing problems, and externalizing problems. Frequency of parental arguments is also positively related to divorce. If high conflict marriages end, children are at a reduced likelihood of externalizing problems. Implications and directions for future research are discussed. / text

Αυτή η εργασία με θέμα «Οι αντιλήψεις των δασκάλων ως προς την ετοιμότητα τους να αναγνωρίζουν και να αντιμετωπίζουν ζητήματα ψυχικής υγείας των μαθητών» πραγματοποιήθηκε για να μελετήσει, να αναλύσει και να καταγράψει πόσο έτοιμοι, προετοιμασμένοι νιώθουν οι δάσκαλοι που εργάζονται στα σχολεία να αναγνωρίζουν και να αντιμετωπίζουν τις ανησυχίες ψυχικής υγείας που εκδηλώνουν οι μαθητές. Με δεδομένο το γεγονός ότι στο σύγχρονο σχολικό περιβάλλον παρουσιάζονται συνεχώς ποικίλα προβλήματα ψυχικής υγείας από τους μαθητές, έχει ως αποτέλεσμα να αυξάνονται οι αρμοδιότητες και ευθύνες των δασκάλων και να δημιουργείται εντονότερη η ανάγκη για μια πιο συστηματική παροχή βοήθειας στους μαθητές τους αλλά κυρίως προβάλλει επιτακτικότερη η ανάγκη ενίσχυσης της ετοιμότητας, γνώσης/προετοιμασίας των δασκάλων για την έγκαιρη αναγνώριση και την κατάλληλη αντιμετώπιση των δυσκολιών ψυχικής υγείας των παιδιών. Η έρευνα διεξήχθη το σχολικό έτος 2013-2014 με συγκέντρωση ερωτηματολογίων σε δείγμα 193 δασκάλων μονίμων και αναπληρωτών. Από την στατιστική ανάλυση και επεξεργασία των δεδομένων προκύπτουν στοιχεία που αποδεικνύουν διαφορετικά επίπεδα ετοιμότητας, αυτοπεποίθησης των δάσκαλων για τα ποικίλα ζητήματα ψυχικής υγείας και της προετοιμασία τους μέσω της εκπαίδευση τους σχετικά με αυτά. Επίσης από τα αποτελέσματα παρατηρούμε συμφωνία και διαφωνία μεταξύ των απόψεων των συμμετεχόντων για την ετοιμότητα, προετοιμασία και εκπαίδευση τους για τον εντοπισμό και την αποτελεσματική διαχείριση/επίλυση των διαφορετικών προβλημάτων ψυχικής υγείας των μαθητών. Ακόμη δίνονται στοιχεία για το ποιοι παράγοντες (π.χ. φύλο, έτη υπηρεσίας κ.τ.λ.) επηρεάζουν ή όχι, διαφοροποιούν ή όχι τις αντιλήψεις των δασκάλων μεταξύ τους για το υπό μελέτη θέμα μας. Τα αποτελέσματα της παρούσας έρευνας μπορούν να αξιοποιηθούν από τους αρμόδιους φορείς, ώστε να βελτιωθεί η εκπαίδευση των δασκάλων και να τους εφοδιάζει με την κατάλληλη προετοιμασία, ώστε να ανταπεξέλθουν ικανοποιητικά στις σύγχρονες απαιτήσεις του ρόλου τους ως εκπαιδευτικών και στον τομέα ανάπτυξης/στήριξης της ψυχικής ευεξίας των παιδιών. / This study on "Perceptions of teachers regarding their readiness to recognize and treat mental health issues of students” conducted to study, analyze and record how ready they feel prepared teachers who work in schools to recognize and deal with mental health concerns that students exhibit. Given the fact that the modern school environment is constantly varied mental health of students, the effect of that has led to increased powers and responsibilities of teachers and creating a stronger need for a more systematic assistance to students but rather raises the urgent a need enhancing preparedness, knowledge / preparation of teachers for early recognition and appropriate treatment of mental health problems of children The survey was conducted during the school year 2013-2014 with questionnaires concentration in sample 193 permanent teachers and substitutes. From the statistical analysis and processing of data obtained evidence of different levels of readiness, confidence of teachers for a variety of mental health issues and prepare them by educating them about these. Also from the results observed agreement and disagreement between the participants' perceptions of readiness, preparation and training them to identify and effectively manage / resolve differences of mental health of students. Even given of what factors (e.g., gender, years of service, etc.) affect or not, differentiate or not the perceptions of teachers together to study our subject. The results of this research can be used by the responsible bodies in order to improve the training of teachers and to equip them with the proper preparation to cope well in the modern demands of their role as teachers and in development / support mental wellness of children.

The purpose of this research was to highlight the benefits of a Memory Box Programme on the social and emotional developmental functioning of orphaned children. The study focused on the memory box approach used by Sinomlando Centre with orphaned children. The Sinomlando Memory Box Programme has been in existence since 2000. The overall objective of this Memory Box Programme is to enhance resilience in vulnerable children and orphans affected by HIV and AIDS through the methodology of memory boxes In contributing to the discourse on memory work, an interpretive method of data collection and analysis in the form of a focus group discussion and thematic analysis was utilized in this study. Three focus groups were conducted with 26 orphaned children between the ages of 12 years to 15 years. Sampling of the children was based on a purposive sample, targeting children orphaned by AIDS who attended a 5-day camp conducted through a local NGO. The results of the study indicate that children who attended the Sinomlando Memory Box Programme had benefited from their involvement in the programme in diverse ways. They felt that being involved in a Memory Box Programme equipped them with better coping mechanisms and skills. These included the appropriate expression of feelings, the ability to talk about their parent’s death, and overcoming their sense of alienation so they could better cope with their difficult circumstances. / Thesis (M.A.) - University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2009.

xv, 244 p. A print copy of this thesis is available through the UO Libraries. Search the library catalog for the location and call number. / Incorporation of a mental health focus into Early Intervention/Early Childhood Special Education (EI/ECSE) services is considered critical by many professionals due to the vulnerability of young children with disabilities to developing behavior problems, mental health disorders, and to experiencing maltreatment. This qualitative research study investigated ways personnel in EI/ECSE agencies in Oregon are addressing the mental health needs of the children and families they serve. How mental health is conceptualized by EI/ECSE providers, how well prepared providers are in addressing the needs, what kinds of strategies are used to serve children and families, and how adequately EI/ECSE families and children are served by the mental health system were explored. The study was divided into two parts, which included a state-wide study of 14 EI/ECSE agencies in five regions in Oregon, and an in-depth study of one EI/ECSE agency that has employed a mental health consultant. State-wide agencies were mainly located in rural parts of the state, although two education service districts in metropolitan areas were included. The perspectives of 10 mental health providers from community mental health centers were also collected. The most salient issues that surfaced in the state-wide study included the focus of EI/ECSE concern on behavioral and mental health problems in children ages three through five and strategies for related behavior management in classroom settings, the importance of collaboration with community agencies, and a desire for increased partnership with mental health. Interviews with both EI/ECSE and mental health agencies revealed problems in the mental health system including training of therapists in working with very young children, gaps in services for children who were not Medicaid-eligible and in services for parents with their own psychological issues, and in the capacity to serve all of the children who were referred. The in-depth study focused on one EI/ECSE agency that was developing staff competence in relationship-based work with families through support from a mental health consultant employed by the agency. Salient issues included funding for a mental health consultant in an educational agency, development of mental health services for early childhood through community collaboration, and supporting staff through reflective supervision. / Adviser: Jane Squires

This mixed-methods research study was conducted for the purpose of examining school-based occupational therapists' child psychosocial knowledge and attitudes, along with how therapists developed this knowledge and attitudes. Using a phenomenological qualitative approach, the study addressed the following broad research question: What meaning do school-based occupational therapists give to their experience in developing child psychosocial knowledge? Using a quantitative approach, a survey instrument was used to answer the following questions: (a) What level of child psychosocial knowledge and attitudes do school-based occupational therapists possess? (b) How do the following variables impact child psychosocial knowledge and attitudes: (1) level of education, (2) academic course content, (3) participation in mental health fieldwork, (4) application of psychosocial knowledge in non-mental health fieldwork, (5) professional practice experiences, and ( 6) continuing education experiences. Snowball sampling was used to select 11 school-based occupational therapists for the phenomenological portion of the design. Data were analyzed using Giorgi and Giorgi's (2008) method of phenomenological analysis. Random sampling was used to select 1,000 school-based therapists who were mailed the Occupational Therapy Child Mental Health Questionnaire based upon The Teacher Mental Health Opinion Inventory (Morris, 2002). The response was N = 630. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and analysis of association. Using the mixed-methods triangulation convergence model, where both quantitative and qualitative data were collected at the same time and the results converged during interpretation by comparing and contrasting them, the following conclusions were made: (a) school-based occupational therapists possess and use child psychosocial knowledge: however. they do not believe it is sufficient; (b) school-based occupational therapists have a difficult time articulating psychosocial knowledge; however. through case descriptions they are able to give many examples of psychosocial knowledge they use in practice; (c) school-based occupational therapists believe that holistic, occupation-based, and client-centered practice, along with additional psychosocial intervention strategics, help them maintain a positive attitude toward children with emotional disturbance; (d) school-based occupational therapists experience tension when attempting to apply their holistic, occupation-based, and client-centered practice in an environment that is typically focused on students changing to meet the environmental demands; (e) due to the constraints of the educational system and the IEP, school-based occupational therapists practice holistically by incorporating psychosocial knowledge in a hidden fashion; (f) school-based occupational therapists believe that mental health fieldwork and rich experiences with individuals who have mental illness is important to developing a comfort level with people who have mental illness; (g) school-based occupational therapists do not readily connect the learning from adult mental health fieldwork that they apply in their school-based practices.

Thesis (M.A.(Clinical Psychology)) -- University of Limpopo, 2012 / The aim of the study was to explore the notions of childhood mental illness by Sepedi-speaking elderly people in the Mankweng community of Limpopo Province (South Africa). Using the phenomenological method, the researcher sought to understand these elderly people’s notions with a view to: i) describing their conceptualizations of childhood mental illness; ii) determining their notions of the types and causes of mental illness; and iii) describing their views regarding the management of childhood mental illnesses. A total of 8 participants who were selected through snowball sampling were interviewed using unstructured interviews. The results of this study suggest that; i) childhood mental illness is better understood if described than defined, ii) childhood mental illness is manifested through behavioural and physical features, iii) there are many causal factors attributed to childhood mental illness, and iv) both Western and African traditional methods are recognized in the treatment of childhood mental illness in this rural community. The results are discussed in the context of the psychological literature on multicultural counseling and psychotherapy. / Department of Health and Social Development

Children and adolescents in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC) suffer heightened vulnerability for the development of mental health conditions which is exacerbated due to enduring socioemotional, economic, and biological risk factors. The constellation of co-occurring adverse childhood experiences (ACEs; e.g. poverty, maltreatment, household dysfunction, exposure to violence) confer heightened vulnerability for the development of mental health disorders that may persist into adulthood. Although the mechanisms for transmission from one generation to the next has not yet been fully elucidated, contemporary evidence has converged primarily on maternal mental health as a key mediator between childhood exposure to ACEs, and the subsequent mental health of her children. Access to mental health assessment or treatment resources in Kenya are limited or non-existent. Due to the heightened risk for intergenerational transmission of mental health problems across generations, with support from the World Health Organization and key stakeholders in Kenya, the development of task-sharing approaches to address the unmet psychological needs of children and mothers has been advocated for. Task-sharing involves the rational redistribution of mental health care tasks from higher cadres of mental health professionals to non-specialized community health care workers in order to increase the capacity for, and access to, mental health services across Kenya. This dissertation seeks to explore: 1) the development of a partnership between the Africa Mental Health Research and Training Foundation and McMaster University to explore the use of task-sharing in the development of a technology-supported assessment for common mental disorders in children and adolescents; 2) the validity and reliability of the newly developed International Mobile Assessment for Children and Teens (IMPACT) administered by non-specialized community health workers when compared to a gold-standard assessment, the MINI-KID, when administered by trained psychology graduate students, and finally; 3) the association between maternal exposure ACEs and the subsequent mental health of her children, mediated by maternal mental health. The first study outlines the process of the development of the IMPACT using a novel blending of emic-etic approaches, and the practical evaluation of the IMPACT by ten local community health workers. Results from this study demonstrated the demand for, and utility of, the IMPACT and outlined the practical considerations of conducting field work of this nature. The second study examined the diagnostic agreement (e.g. validity) of mental health conditions in Kenyan school children (n=189) between the IMPACT and the MINI-KID. The results of this study demonstrated relatively high agreement between the diagnosis of common mental disorders in children between the IMPACT and the MINI-KID. The third study explores the relationship between ACEs (Y-VACS) of mothers (n=149) and the socioemotional wellbeing of her children (e.g. internalizing and externalizing problems; CBCL), mediated by maternal mental health (CBCL). The results of this study demonstrate the association between maternal ACEs and child internalizing and externalizing behaviours, mediated by maternal mental health and moderated by maternal education. Collectively, the results of these dissertation studies support the use of task-sharing approaches for the assessment of common mental disorders in children and adolescents, by non-specialized community health workers and that the transmission of mental health problems between generations is associated with a multitude of complex and inter-related factors (e.g. maternal ACEs and maternal mental health), exacerbated by chronic and co-occurring adversity. Additionally, the results of these studies demonstrated the need for further research that prioritizes the equitable accessibility interventions that target the mental health related-sequelae experienced by maternal-child dyads exposed to chronic and enduring adversity in LMIC. / Dissertation / Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) / Children who grow up in circumstances of chronic poverty and adversity suffer heightened risk for mental health problems as they grow up. This is especially true of children who live in low- and middle-income countries, where children are more likely to experience chronic and co-occurring forms of adversity. Access to mental health services in these contexts are limited or non-existent, conferring heightened vulnerability for mental health problems that may persist across the lifespan. The risk for mental health problems can be transmitted across generations. Although it is not fully understood how mental health problems can be transmitted from a mother to a child, one commonly studied mechanism is the role of maternal adversity and maternal mental health. Because the barriers to mental health care are abundant, the needs of children and mothers with mental health problems are frequently left unmet. The World Health Organization proposes a task-sharing solution, whereby less specialized community health care workers are trained to provide services to improve access to assessment and treatment in low income countries. Using data collected in rural Kenya, this dissertation seeks to explore: 1) the development of a partnership between the Africa Mental Health Research and Training Foundation and McMaster University with the aim of working together to create mental health assessment for children, using a task-sharing approach, 2) to compare the results of the novel mental health assessment to a gold-standard, and 3) to evaluate maternal adversity, maternal mental health, and the transmission of mental health problems between mothers and children in Kenya. Collectively, the results of this dissertation demonstrate that utilizing a task-sharing model for the development of a mental health assessment for use by community health workers is a valid method for assessing and diagnosing mental health problems in children, and that the transmission of mental health problems across generations is associated complex factors (e.g. maternal exposure to adversity and maternal mental health) as a result of exposure to chronic and enduring adversity in LMIC.

Wan, Suk Fan. / Thesis submitted in: December 2006. / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2007. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 170-176). / Abstracts in English and Chinese. / Abstract --- p.i / Acknowledgements --- p.iv / Chapter Chapter 1 --- Introduction --- p.1 / Rationale of the Research Topic --- p.2 / Research Questions --- p.3 / Research Objectives --- p.4 / Overview of the Present Thesis --- p.4 / Chapter Chapter 2 --- Literature Review --- p.6 / The Vicissitudes of the Concept of Mental Health Problems in the Western Culture --- p.6 / The Development of the Concept of Children and Adolescents in the Western Culture --- p.12 / The Traditional Chinese Concept of Children and Parental Role --- p.19 / The Child Mental Health Problem in Hong Kong --- p.24 / Summary --- p.29 / Chapter Chapter 3 --- Theoretical Framework --- p.32 / Orientation of A Critical Social Work --- p.32 / "Discourse, Power / Knowledge" --- p.34 / "Discourse, Subjectivity and Human Problem" --- p.38 / Criticism from Foucault and Inspiration for the Theoretical Framework --- p.40 / Social Constructionism --- p.44 / Summary --- p.46 / Chapter Chapter 4 --- Research Methodology --- p.48 / Rationale of Selecting the Qualitative Research Method --- p.48 / Research Design --- p.50 / Methods of Data Collection and Analysis --- p.51 / The Setting of the Child Psychiatric Unit of the Alice Ho Miu Ling / Nethersole Hospital --- p.54 / Sampling Method and the Profile of the Participant Families --- p.56 / Quality of the Present Research and Its Measure --- p.62 / Summary --- p.65 / Chapter Chapter 5 --- The Results of Study : The Subjective Experiences of the Children and Adolescents --- p.67 / The Subjective Experience related to the Child Mental Health Problems: the Children and Adolescents´ة Perspective --- p.67 / "I have problems, but my problems were not necessarily a child mental health problem.'" --- p.67 / My school and family lives were disturbed not only by my problems; but by the treatment provided by the Child Psychiatric Unit too!´ة --- p.73 / Effects on School Lives --- p.73 / Effects on Family lives --- p.75 / "´بPerhaps the treatment improved my problems, but it was such a painful and meaningless process to me!´ة" --- p.81 / ´بThe Child Psychiatric Ward - a place I never want to go again!´ة --- p.81 / "´بNo one discussed with me about my progress and discharge plan, I felt like being trapped!´ة" --- p.90 / I had no part to play in my treatment!´ة --- p.91 / I was confused by too many helping professionals. They were unhelpful unless I was ready to help myself. ´ب --- p.94 / I had no choice! No one discussed with me before the decision was made!'´ة --- p.95 / Summary --- p.97 / Chapter Chapter 6 --- The Results of Study : The Subjective Experiences of the Parents --- p.99 / The Subjective Experiences related to their Children´ةs Mental Health Problems : the Parents´ةPerspective --- p.99 / ´بMy child does not only have child mental health problem but also problems with other aspects of his / her life.´ة --- p.99 / ´بWe were desperate; the services provided by the Child Psychiatric Unit were our last resource!´ة --- p.106 / "´بMy child's problem affected not only his / her well-being, but it also affected our family relationship, parenting, emotions and mental health!'´ة" --- p.109 / "´بFamily Relationships - it was not his problem only, my whole family was affected.´ة" --- p.109 / "Parenting -1 know I need to adjust my parenting in response to my child's problem, but I am uncertain in what way I should change.´ة" --- p.114 / "´بEmotions and Mental Health - although I was disappointed by my child, I blamed myself for his problem and worried that his future would be destroyed by his problem.´ة" --- p.120 / Who is going to take care of my emotions?´ة --- p.129 / I needed help; but Ifelt that I was not included from the treatment program!´ة --- p.129 / I need more than a pill for my child!' --- p.129 / "´بDoctor, would you listen to my opinions and difficulties in dealing with my child's problem before you design the treatment plan?´ة" --- p.133 / Visiting - the precious moment to show our support to my child but restricted by the hospital policy.' --- p.135 / Summary --- p.137 / Chapter Chapter 7 --- Discussion and Implications --- p.139 / The Constitution of Subjectivities --- p.140 / The Subjectivities of the Children and Adolescents --- p.142 / The Subjectivities of the Parents --- p.145 / Power Relations --- p.149 / Power Relations between Self and Discourse --- p.150 / Power Relations between Parents and Children --- p.151 / Power Relations between Services User and Helping Professionals --- p.152 / Power Relations between Service Users and Hospital Policies --- p.154 / Emergence of New Meanings and Creation ofAlternatives --- p.155 / Implications for Social Work Practice and Future Child Mental Service Development --- p.156 / Contributions and Limitations of this study --- p.160 / Contributions of this Study --- p.160 / Limitations of this Study --- p.161 / Directions for Further Study --- p.163 / Self-reflexivity : My Personal Change after Completing this Study --- p.163 / Conclusion --- p.165 / Appendices / Appendix 1 Guidelines for interview --- p.166 / Appendix 2 Letter to the family and consent form (Chinese version) --- p.168 / Bibliography --- p.170 / List of Tables: / Table 1: Summary of Erikson's Psychosocial Theory --- p.17 / Table 2: Details of the Data Collection Schedule --- p.53 / Table 3: The Socio-Demographic Data of the Six Families --- p.57 / Table 4: Diagnosis and Psychiatric Histories of the Six Children and Adolescents --- p.58 / Table 5: Details of Hospitalization of the Children and Adolescents --- p.59 / Table 6: Details of the Follow up Service Received by the Children and Adolescents --- p.59