<p> Teen pregnancy has been consistently perceived as a substantial social problem, despite recent declines and some equivocal evidence from longitudinal studies. The evidence for this framing has been gleaned from quantitative studies that demonstrate comparative decline in sociodemographic outcomes for the teens themselves and developmental and behavioral deficits for their children over time. Qualitative inquiry has provided an alternate perspective, one that provides teens with a voice, as their voices had been unheard until the last two decades. There are several areas largely unexplored with teens that have been studied with adult, higher-risk women. These are, first, teens&rsquo; perspective and behavior during the prenatal period, which is vital for infant health and development and provides these young mothers-to-be with an opportunity to explore the meaning of this life-changing transition, how they feel toward their infants, and their future plans. The second is the impact of the interpersonal trauma and other cumulative forms of adversity pregnant teens have often experienced, on these perspectives.</p><p> The current qualitative study examined the perspectives of and behaviors around pregnancy in a sample of inner city pregnant teens receiving supportive home-visiting services from the Nurse-Family Partnership. Using a grounded theory approach, the study inductively explored the prenatal phase, and inquired about developmental (level of stability, quality of attachment, early interpersonal trauma) and current factors (fears and concerns, prenatal health behavior and attachment, mental health, help-seeking, wishes for the future). Twenty-three teens were interviewed over 18 months. Outcomes of this study revealed that teens generally felt very positively about their pregnancies and regarded this event to be a portal to a new and better life, and changed their health behavior and social activities accordingly. Teens also showed a high degree of resilient beliefs and behaviors, a spontaneous finding, maintaining hope and optimism and forming concrete plans for future parenting and stability. They also expressed much concern and fear about the lack of material resources, particularly housing. Mental health problems increased with exposure to trauma and stress. The salient finding here was that as interpersonal trauma exposure accumulated, the more positively teens felt about their pregnancies, the more resilient were their beliefs and behaviors, and the more mental health problems they endorsed. Teens with less exposure to trauma and stress had somewhat less positive views of pregnancy, more family and current support, better relationships with parents, more fears and concerns about their pregnancies, were somewhat less resilient, and had fewer mental health problems. Thus, teens who seem most enthusiastic and prepared are often those who have experienced the greatest amount of trauma and disrupted attachment, both of which may affect parenting capacity. Programmatic and policy responses focused on the need to include teens&rsquo; historical narrative and a tableau of their current support in planning to assist them, rather than instantiating interventions which extend from a dominant discourse about what they need to succeed as parents.</p><p>

One in six South Africans are reported to be suffering from mental health issues whereby only 27 % of the mentally ill population receive treatment. Similarly, to other global countries, South Africa also has a burden in terms of resources. Despite the implementation of the Mental Health Care Act 17 of 2002, South Africa still has challenges in terms of proper mental health infrastructure. There is a serious shortage of mental health professionals, community mental health and psychosocial rehabilitation remain undeveloped (Burns, 2011:104). It is therefore against the back drop of such challenges that the experiences of social workers in mental health were investigated. The aim of the study was to explore and describe the experiences of social workers in the provision of mental health services in the West Rand District. Furthermore, the study adopted the use of an instrumental case study which was deemed appropriate for this study, as it aimed to explore and describe the experiences of social workers in the provision of mental health services in the West Rand District. One-on-one, semi-structured interviews were used to collect data from ten social work participants in the provision of mental health services in the West Rand. Non-probability purposive sampling method was used to select the participants using selection criteria. The findings of the study indicated that the social workers’ understanding of mental health as a field of service provision was average and focused on the services that they provide. In addition, the participants understanding of social work as a field of mental health service provision was explored. The participants had mixed views regarding their understanding and knowledge of the Mental Health Care Act 17 of 2002. Most participants were aware of the Act, but while some did not know the specific sections of the Act that they use. The majority of the participants had little insight about the DSM and further indicated that they have never used it in practice. The experiences of social workers in the provision of mental health service was revealed to be negatively affected by the shortage of resources. This was due to a lack of funding from the government to non-governmental organisations. The social workers reflected on various roles and tasks that they perform in mental health settings, including the role of an advocate, mediator and educator. The study further found the services that the social workers provide to be psychosocial support services, statutory services, placement of mental health care users, counselling services and raising awareness on mental health. The study highlighted the impact of support and supervision on social workers in the provision of mental health services. Based on the findings of the study, it is recommended that the government increase the budget of the mental health sector, to allow the organisations to acquire more resources to provide mental health in-service training and to employ more social workers. / Mini Dissertation (MSW (Healthcare)) University of Pretoria, 2021. / Social Work and Criminology / MSW (Healthcare) / Unrestricted

The religious factors influencing health-seeking behaviours differ from one culture to another. Jehovah’s Witnesses believe that since humans are made by God, human life is the result of a Divine creation (Sarteschi, 2008:500). The perception of blood transfusions among the Jehovah’s witnesses, often results in conflict between the witnesses and medical professionals (Wong, 2012:129). The Divine law is applicable to all mankind, since it originated long before the Hebrew nation and no Israelite was permitted to consume blood (Sarteschi, 2008:500). Christians see the blood of God as sacred because it is seen as the power of redemption, atonement, sanctification and purification. Jehovah’s Witnesses believe that blood transfusions violate the Divine law (Doyle, 2002:417). This study was conducted against this backdrop. The aim of this study was to explore the religious factors influencing health-seeking behaviours of the Jehovah’s Witnesses in Johannesburg. This study utilised a qualitative research approach. The researcher focussed on the experiences of Jehovah’s Witnesses by employing a phenomenological design which allowed the participants to reminisce on their lived experiences. The study was therefore exploratory and descriptive in scope and semi-structured one-on-one interviews, an interview schedule and voice recordings of the interviews with the permission of the participants, were used to collect data. The findings revealed that Jehovah’s Witnesses see the blood of God as sacred because it is seen as the power of redemption, atonement, sanctification and purification. Jehovah’s Witnesses believe that blood transfusions violate the Divine law. All the Jehovah’s Witnesses interviewed emphasised that they live strictly according to scriptures found in the Bible. The researcher therefore concludes that guidelines are provided by the scriptures, which form the basis of the Jehovah’s Witnesses’ belief system and should therefore be respected as such by all medical professionals Jehovah’s Witnesses are prudent when it comes to medical interventions. They do not simply take a diagnosis at face value and would prefer to get different opinions from medical practitioners if they do not agree with the treatment option suggested. According to the participants they do not hesitate to seek medical help for common ailments, but when it comes to medical procedures that might infringe on their religious beliefs, they are much more prudent and would rather live according to God’s will. In conclusion, Jehovah’s Witnesses take medical intervention seriously, but are not as prudent when it comes to general health care. Medical professionals should take utmost care when deciding to administer blood to an unwilling or unknowing Jehovah’s Witness patient, as they will experience severe emotional anguish after the procedure, which might even lead to legal actions against the medical professional. The participants emphasised that they are encouraged to live a healthy lifestyle. Among the Jehovah’s Witnesses it is believed that a healthy lifestyle will have a positive impact on all spheres of their life – physical, mental and spiritual. In conclusion, the Jehovah’s Witnesses aim to prevent life threatening situations caused by disease and illness by living healthy and active lives. They aim to stimulate themselves emotionally, physically and spiritually in order to live a good life and doing their best to live according to God’s will. They also have different views on what type of medical intervention would be acceptable to them, as long as it is based on God’s will. Even though the Jehovah’s Witnesses do not ‘seclude’ themselves from the general community, they do value community support from fellow Jehovah’s Witnesses. It is noted that brothers and sisters from the congregation would provide spiritual support when a Jehovah’s Witness falls ill. It has been noted that the Jehovah’s Witnesses have various opinions regarding health. It is understood that each individual has the right to determine their own stance regarding certain medical interventions, as long as it does not infringe on God’s will. They take own responsibility for their choices and are respected for that. To conclude this theme, Jehovah’s Witnesses move within ‘regular circles’ and are not a separate community on its own. However, due to the fact that they have a very particular value system that might not always be accepted by secular people, they rely on the community support from their church elders and fellow brothers and sisters. They will often visit each other if someone in a Jehovah’s Witness family falls ill or is going through a trauma. They have the support of their hospital liaison committee that consists of knowledgeable elders who will lobby on their behalf at hospitals, regarding what is acceptable for Jehovah’s witnesses. / Mini Dissertation (MSW (Healthcare))--University of Pretoria, 2021. / Social Work and Criminology / MSW (Healthcare) / Unrestricted

Social workers have a significant role to play in the provision of mental health services. Their role and function depend on the settings in which they are employed. The social work profession focuses on the individuals’ relationships with the environment and recognizes the impact that the social, economic and cultural aspects have on their health and well-being (Australian Association of Social Workers, 2015:3). In providing mental health services, social workers encounter myriad challenges, hence, the need to explore their experiences was identified. The aim of the study was to explore the experiences of social workers in the provision of mental health services in Tshwane, Gauteng province. This exploratory study targeted social workers employed by North Gauteng Mental Health Society, which is an organisation that provides mental health services in Tshwane. Qualitative research was used in this study, using an instrumental case study design to explore the experiences of social workers in the provision of mental health services. Non-probability purposive sampling was used to select the sample of nine participants who met the selection criteria. Data was collected through a semi-structured interview, using an interview guide. Data was analysed through a thematic analysis. The ecological systems perspective provided substantiation for this study to explore a range of issues within the micro, meso, exo, macro and chrono level systems within which the mentally ill person functions and the extent to which the mental health services and resources support this relationship. The findings of the study revealed that participants had limited knowledge of mental health services in general, including DSM and the Mental Health Care Act (17 of 2002). It became evident from this study that the training received on the BSW undergraduate level did not adequately prepare the participants to practice in the mental health field, and they have consequently gained additional knowledge through attending in-service training. The main roles and tasks that they perform include: support and supervision, therapeutic services, education and awareness and advocacy. The study further revealed that participants received supervision and support both from their organisation and from external sources, although others viewed this as inadequate. Participants also encountered challenges in the provision of mental health services. Lastly, the study found both positive and negative experiences that participants encountered in the provision of mental health services. The following recommendations were made: Mental health should be incorporated into undergraduate training and in-service training needs to be offered regularly in the workplace. Adequate resources ought to be made available and intersectoral collaboration needs to be strengthened. Future research needs to be conducted in this field, nationally in the South African context, to add to the gap identified in the existing literature. / Mini Dissertation (MSW (Healthcare)) University of Pretoria, 2021. / Social Work and Criminology / MSW (Healthcare) / Unrestricted

There is growing recognition that mental health is an important public health issue in South Africa, yet mental health services remain chronically under-resourced. This study was conducted in the Durban & Coastal Mental Health Organisation in KwaZulu-Natal. The aim of this study was to explore the experiences of social workers in the provision of mental health services in KwaZulu-Natal. The ecological systems theory underpinned this study. As the researcher wanted to understand the experiences of social workers in the provision of mental health services, according to their daily activities or practice, a qualitative study was appropriate and interpretivism was used as the research paradigm. The researcher used non-probability purposive sampling with selection criteria. Ten participants were purposively selected from the Durban & Coastal Mental Health Organisation. A semi-structured interview, with an interview schedule was utilised to collect data and it was comprised of open-ended questions to find out about their experiences in rendering mental health services. Attention was given to the ethical considerations and Ethics approval was obtained from the Faculty of Humanities Ethics Committee. The interviews were transcribed and the emerging data was analysed by means of identifying themes from all ten participants. The research question was: What are the experiences of social workers in the provision of mental health services in KwaZulu-Natal? The findings revealed that participant social workers have knowledge of mental health services in general and of generic social work, as well as knowledge of the roles of a social worker in mental health. Participants’ were able to express themselves with regards to rendering counselling services on understanding and accepting the illness and linking the service users to resources that are going to best help them. However, they lack knowledge of the DSM and Mental Health Act (17 of 2002). The findings also revealed that the BSW programme in South Africa is not structured in a way that allows social workers to practice in the mental health field. There is a need for social workers to gain knowledge and understanding of mental health, specifically in order to be able to practice in this field. Consequently, the participants also felt that the supervision they are receiving needs to be improved, as there are no other supportive measures or debriefing provided, in order for them to perform their roles effectively, except for the supervision. A range of experiences of participant were also described in terms of their challenges, negative and positive experiences. General recommendations were put forward from this study and these included the need to prioritise mental health services by the government and training in mental health care for social workers to be facilitated at all levels. Furthermore, also to include mental health in the BSW undergraduate programme in order to give social workers a background to practice in the mental health field. While the aim and objectives of this study were met, the researcher emphasised the need for future research to focus on determining possible effective ways of addressing the challenges identified amongst participants in the provision of mental health care services in this study. / Mini Dissertation (MSW (Healthcare))--University of Pretoria, 2021. / Social Work and Criminology / MSW (Healthcare) / Unrestricted

No description available.

<p> The purpose of the descriptive, quantitative study was to examine recidivism rates of mentally ill incarcerated individuals. With data provided by the Florida Department of Corrections, the current study sought to describe recidivism rates of mentally ill offenders who, within three years of release, returned to prison. The use of descriptive statistics provided information through means, modes, and frequencies, which led to incorporating logistic regression to provide further details concerning recidivism. The sample consisted initially of more than 120,000 offenders released, and narrowed to more than 20,000 released with a mental health diagnosis in the studied time frame, 2005 to 2008. The study consisted of 11 categorical and individual diagnoses while incorporating analyses of demographics, crimes committed, educational level, past incarcerations, and other variables in relation to mental health diagnoses. The results identified those with a mental health diagnosis were more apt to return to prison within the three-year time frame than those with no diagnosis. Specifically, those with a Schizophrenia diagnosis had a higher recidivism rate than the other diagnoses studied. Other variables found positive for recidivism were age, gender, and prior prison arrest record.</p>

<p> The purpose of this project was to locate a potential funding source and write a grant to fund an evidence-based program, Buried in Treasures, that will help women 35&ndash;55 years old with hoarding behaviors. An extensive literature review was performed to investigate the best way to treat Hoarding Disorder in the community. The proposed program will be located at Mariposa Women's Center and funded by a Promoting Innovation grant by the California Wellness Foundation. </p><p> The primary goal is to help people with Hoarding Disorder while utilizing web tools and newer technology in an evidence-based program. The objectives are to increase quality of life by 20% and knowledge by 30% and to reduce the amount of items acquired. If funded, this structured program will decrease hoarding behaviors and improve mental health. The actual submission of the application was not a requirement of the thesis project.</p>

<p> The purpose of this project was to locate a potential funding source and write a grant proposal to fund a mindfulness-based therapy program, entitled Coping through Mindfulness and Spirituality, for adults experiencing depression at Alma Family Services in Los Angeles County, California. A literature review was conducted to examine topics related to mindfulness and spirituality and their usefulness in coping with symptoms of depression. The purpose of the proposed program was to decrease depressive symptoms using Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT). The grant was written to the Weingart Foundation. The actual submission or funding for this grant proposal was not a requirement for the successful completion of the project.</p>

<p> The Bowen Family Systems concept Fusion with Others was found to be the most significant predictor of children&rsquo;s demonstration of anxiety based on parent&rsquo;s reports, accounting for approximately 22% of the variation in anxiety ratings. Both parent Emotional Cutoff and parent Fusion with Others were found to be the most significant predictors of student anxiety in children at school based on their teacher&rsquo;s reports, accounting for nearly 30% of the variability in teacher&rsquo;s anxiety ratings. Children&rsquo;s math performance at school was also found to be significantly associated with parent Emotional Cutoff. This investigation examined relationships between parent&rsquo;s levels of Differentiation of Self, Emotional Cutoff, Emotional Reactivity, &ldquo;I&rdquo; Position, and Fusion with Others, as defined by Bowen Theory, and children&rsquo;s functioning in reading, math, and in social/emotional competencies demonstrated at school. Twenty-five parents and twenty-five teachers from a Midwestern school district participated in the study. Significant differences between home and school emerged in this investigation in children&rsquo;s tendencies to avoid contact with others and in their appearances to parents and teachers of sadness or depression, indicating the possible existence of a Child Focus Process as postulated in Bowen Family Systems Theory. Significant similarities were found between home and school in children&rsquo;s tendencies to demonstrate anxious behavior. </p><p>