The aim of this study is to gain a deeper understanding of the potential of making meaning in illness to contribute to emotional healing. The present medical model with its focus on "cure" restricts patients' access to their own healing abilities. A more healing approach recognizes the contribution of patients' inner strength to the healing process as well as incorporating conventional medical treatment. The study approach is henneneutic in that it examines the meaning that participants made of their illness experience, autobiographical in that it draws on my own life, and phenomenological in that it focuses on lived experience. This research study shows nurses how patients can be supported as they develop internal strength and make personal meaning in their life through the struggle of dealing with illness.

No description available.

<p> International nonprofit workers follow a sense of purpose or calling to serve humanity in the far corners of the world. This study is a phenomenology of thriving in this population. Parallel to the broader mental health field, there is a shift in focus from diagnosing pathology and reason for failure to promoting optimal functioning of this population. Positive psychology increased attention to optimal human function and the field of counseling has focused on wellness and development of people rather than treating pathology. This study has identified nine themes common to global workers who are thriving. Application is made to how workers and organizations can promote the well-being of global workers. Results are compared with established constructs of well-being.</p>

No description available.

A research report submitted to the Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, in partial fulfillment of the requirement for the degree Master of Science in Nursing (Course work) March 2017 / Background: Work is both an important resource for mental health, yet it also presents psychosocial risks for mental health. The workplace has been identified as a potential setting for both mental health promotion and mental illness prevention. It is well documented in the literature that mental (emotional) health needs of employees should be addressed and a mental health promotion programme that addresses diverse mental health aspects should be included in comprehensive workplace health promotion programmes. The selected sugar mill company in Swaziland does not address mental health or mental illness issues through a dedicated programme as part of the comprehensive workplace health promotion programme. Employees/workers with mental health and personal problems are referred to the Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) for assistance and help. Purpose and objectives of the study: The overall purpose of this study was to investigate and describe the mental health promotion needs and mental health concerns of factory workers at a Sugar Mill Company in Swaziland. Research design and method: This study used a qualitative approach, descriptive in nature. In-depth face to face interviews using an interview guide was used to determine the mental health promotion needs of sugar factory workers. Through purposive sampled 20 workers participated in the study. Data analysis: Audio-taped interviews were transcribed verbatim and data were then analysed by means of themes, categories, and sub-categories using Tesch’s method. Main findings: Factors that influenced mental health negatively (stressors) were related to workplace factors (money, workload and long hours) and family factors (family needs money). The mental health promotion needs identified in relation to the workplace consisted of more opportunities for employees’ development, salary increase and enhanced management and communication skills of supervisors and managers. In addition, health and life skills education, as well as more counseling services were identified as mental health needs. Conclusions: The identified mental health needs can be addressed through the Sugar Mill’s existing workplace health promotion programme. Key words: Mental health promotion, mental health, needs, factory workers. / MT2017

Although the field of art therapy has made enormous headway in quantitative research within the last ten years, there are still significant gaps that need explored. Most quantitative research on art therapy and stress is organized in either pretest-posttest single sessions or multi-week, rigorous art therapy interventions. Researchers have failed to address an intervention strategy that meets in the middle, a strategy that emphasizes mental health as a habitual practice. Mindfulness and art therapy independently demonstrate efficacy in reducing stress and symptoms of anxiety with higher-education students, but again, these interventions require a substantial time commitment that many students will not make. To address the mental health crisis on college campuses, this study evaluated the feasibility of a minimal contact, technology-assisted Mindfulness-Based Art Therapy (MBAT) intervention for higher-level education students over the course of ten weeks. The experimental MBAT group was compared to a neutral clay task (NCT) comparison group. Participants of the MBAT condition were provided a variety of yoga videos and meditation clips, which have been uploaded as supplementary files associated with this manuscript. These supplementary files include: MBAT Week 2 Meditation, MBAT Week 3 Yoga Sequence, MBAT Week 4 Meditation, MBAT Week 5 Meditation, MBAT Week 6 Yoga Sequence, MBAT Week 7 Meditation, MBAT Week 8 Yoga Sequence, and MBAT Week 9 Meditation. All meditations are audio files adapted by Dr. Sean Sullivan from Limbix; the researcher, Megan Beerse, produced all yoga sequence videos. Self-report outcomes were collected on perceived stress and levels of generalized anxiety. Salivary cortisol sampling was conducted on the first and last weeks of the study to determine any presence of a physiological impact on participants. Fifteen participants were recruited and nine maintained participation through all 10 weeks. Reduced symptoms of generalized anxiety were observed in the MBAT condition but not the NCT condition. MBAT participants’ salivary cortisol concentrations significantly decreased pretest to posttest on Week 10 but not on the first week, while the NCT participants experienced the opposite. Further data is needed, but results suggest the possibility of a biofeedback response to art therapy as well as anxiety-reducing benefits from practicing mindfulness-based art therapy directives in the form of a minimal contact, technology-assisted approach. / A Thesis submitted to the Department of Art Education in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science. / Summer Semester 2018. / June 29, 2018. / Anxiety, Art Therapy, College Students, Cortisol, Mindfulness, Stress / Includes bibliographical references. / Theresa Van Lith, Professor Directing Thesis; David E. Gussak, Committee Member; Gregg Stanwood, Committee Member; Barbara Parker-Bell, Committee Member.

No description available.

This thesis traces the history of mental health over various populations, with a strong emphasis in the Asian and Asian American communities. This thesis explores how mental health services have changed over time. In most countries, mental health awareness has been increasing, which has been making a positive impact on its health care system. It is interesting to study how the quantity and quality of health services have also increased. By looking at studies on the differences of cultural impact, taboo, and generational disparities, a greater understanding can be made on the health needs of the Asian population. This thesis finds that amidst generational differences, Asian Americans are still strongly influenced by their native culture. By educating and understanding the cultural differences between patients and practitioners, a more efficient model for mental health care services can be created.

Orientadora: Rita Melissa Lepre / Banca: Nelson Pedro da Silva / Banca: Rosana de Sousa Pareira Lopes / Resumo: Organizações que estudam a situação profissional do docente têm apontado que, atualmente, o magistério é considerado um trabalho de risco e, consequentemente, com maior probabilidade de adoecimento mental. Diante desse quadro, esta pesquisa tem por objetivo analisar os níveis de ansiedade e de depressão dessa população e aferir a relação destes níveis com as características pessoais e trabalhistas. Para tanto, foram sujeitos da pesquisa 163 professores do Ensino Básico da rede pública estadual de São José dos Campos (SP). Para a obtenção das informações, utilizou-se as escalas Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI) e Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) e questionários com o intuito de coletar dados sociodemográficos e relacionados ao grau de satisfação com o trabalho. Os resultados indicaram que 58,0% dos questionados estavam psiquicamente adoecidos, e 27,0% deles apresentaram sintomatologia condizente a um quadro de transtorno de ansiedade ou de depressão. Entre os grupos considerados mais vulneráveis, destacaram-se os que: a) declararam não ter religião; b) trabalhavam em apenas uma escola; possuíam um filho; d) tinham feito mais de uma graduação acadêmica; e) desaprovavam algum aspecto de seu trabalho; e f) estavam usando medicação com função psicotrópica. Acredita-se que o processo de subjetivação desencadeado pela efemeridade das relações contemporâneas, juntamente com a dinâmica trabalhista do curto prazo, da flexibilidade, da competitividade e da produtividade, tem se apropriado de ... (Resumo completo, clicar acesso eletrônico abaixo) / Abstract: Organizations that study the professional situation of teachers have pointed out that the teaching profession is currently considered risky work, which, consequently, has a higher probability of mental illness. In view of this context, this research has aimed to analyze the levels of anxiety and depression of teachers and to assess the relationship of these levels with personal and labor characteristics. To this end, 163 early childhood, primary and secondary teachers of São Paulo state‟s public education system in São José dos Campos city were subjects of the research. Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) and questionnaires were used to collect sociodemographic data and information on the degree of satisfaction with work. Results indicated that 58.0% of respondents were psychologically ill, and 27.0% of them had symptomatology consistent with anxiety or depression disorders. Among the groups considered most vulnerable, the following stood out: (a) those who declared they had no religion; (b) worked in only one school; (c) had a child; (d) had more than one academic degree; (e) disapproved of some aspect of their work; and (f) were using medication with a psychotropic function. It is believed that the process of subjectivation triggered by the ephemerality of contemporary relationships, along with the dynamics of short-term labor, flexibility, competitiveness, and productivity, has appropriated all the psychological reserves of teachers, discouraging them to establish deep connections with their job or students, besides contributing to their illness. Therefore, it was concluded that there is an urgent need for educational policies that take into account the teachers‟ mental health, promoting actions to prevent and remedy their illnesses, such as offering greater access to medical and psychological services ... (Complete abstract electronic access below) / Mestre

This dissertation used data from The National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions (NESARC) to expand upon what is known about the relationship between perceived race-ethnic discrimination and mental health outcomes while uniquely comparing race-ethnic groups across both US-born and immigrant populations. Specifically, two DMS-IV disorders, Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) and Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD) were examined as outcomes. The dissertation sample (n = 13,914) was drawn from Wave II of the data and included Black, Hispanic, and Asian respondents. The first question addresses the associations between perceived race-ethnic discrimination and the mental health disorders. Question two examined the risk and protective roles of four cultural-social factors for both disorders as well as their moderating roles in the race-ethnic discrimination-mental health relationship. Prevalence analysis revealed that almost 20% of minorities experienced past-year race-ethnic discrimination. Results from logistic regressions found that minorities who experienced race-ethnic discrimination were about two times as likely to have MDD or AUD than minorities who did not experience race-ethnic discrimination (ORs = 2.0 and 1.8, respectively). Comparisons across sub-populations of US-born, immigrant, Black, Hispanic, Asian, and gender groups found a few differences in terms of the effects of discrimination and mental health disorders. While moderation analyses failed to yield significant results for race-ethnic discrimination, the four cultural and social factors appeared to moderate the relationship between MDD and AUD, respectively. Findings corroborate and expand upon previous work demonstrating a consistent, strong, and positive relationship between perceived race-ethnic discrimination and mental health outcomes across minority populations yielding practice and policy implications. Further research is needed to examine causal associations using longitudinal data as well as to elucidate upon the role of protective and risk factors given cultural and community-based factors.