Previous research suggests that marital problems, inhibited communication, social rejection, and mutual hostility characterize the interpersonal behavior of depressed patients. The specificity and external validity of these results is questionable since most of this research used analogue designs or lacked important control groups necessary to separate the effects of depression from psychological disturbance in general. This study examined interpersonal aspects of depression within the context of the marital relationship. A battery of standardized and original questionnaires was administered to couples in three comparison groups defined by the wife's level of depression and psychotherapy patient status: a depressed patient group, a non-depressed patient group, and a normal control group. Results of planned comparisons revealed that, relative to the married couples with nondepressed patients and normal control wives, the depressed patients and their husbands saw their marriages as more maladjusted with less open communication. Husbands of the depressed patients also reported feeling more anxiety and acting less honestly or supportively specifically when interacting with their spouses. Husbands in the depressed patient group also rated their wives more negatively in terms of their overall interpersonal impact and saw their own actions as more generally negative when interacting with the depressed spouse. Both spouses in the depressed patient group rated themselves as feeling more hostile generally, while the husbands saw the depressed patients as specifically impacting them in a hostile manner. These results were seen as consistent with Coyne's interpersonal model of depression which suggests that depressed behavior and affect may be maintained by the responses it evokes from interacting others. The finding of greater hostility in both the depressed patients and their husbands replicates previous controlled research but contradicts most psychological theories of depression which predict lowered hostility in depression. Implications for further research and therapy with depressed patients are also discussed.

published_or_final_version / abstract / Humanities / Doctoral / Doctor of Philosophy

The incidence of smoking among mentally ill people is very high. Smokers have a 50%, rate of mental illness diagnosis compared with 23% rate for general population. To address this problem, the purpose of this project was to plan a smoking cessation program for patients in a mental health facility. The theoretical foundation for this project was based on the theory of planned behavior, which identifies the predictive nature of smoking and the benefits that can be derived from implementing a systematic approach for change. The project question examined the effectiveness of smoking cessation program using educational support, pharmacological strategies, and bi-weekly meetings to help patients in a mental health hospital to decrease smoking behavior. The project design was based on use of smoking questionnaires, the Hooked on Nicotine Checklist (HONC), effective pharmacological strategies, educational support, and counseling treatments to evaluate symptoms of dependency. The key results of this project included the creation of a plan that could foster reduction in illness, improved quality of life, and reduced costs related to the onset of major illness in this vulnerable population. This data collection process focused on a qualitative design in which selected professionals were asked to review the materials and answer questions. This project could increase awareness of the issue of smoking; in addition, this project could equip nurses with the tools to deliver evidence based interventions for tobacco dependence that may significantly reduce tobacco use. This project has the implications for positive social change through its potential to improve the health of people with mental illnesses. It also creates a safe and healthy environment in mental health facilities for patients who do not smoke.

The Mexican American population is the largest and fastest growing Latino subgroup in the United States. Research has indicated Mexican Americans experience as many, if not more, mental health problems as other ethnic groups, including anxiety, depression, agoraphobia, simple phobia, drug and alcohol abuse, and increased rates of suicide. Mexican Americans, however, are among some of the most underserved by the mental health community. Little research, however, has focused on parents’ beliefs about their adolescents’ mental health, their utilization of mainstream mental health services, or their use of alternative resources for addressing their adolescent’s problems. This is particularly troubling given Mexican American youth have disproportionately high rates of substance abuse, delinquency, depression and suicide. Mexican American youth’s utilization patterns mirror those of adults, with lower rates of utilization than their peers of other ethnicities, and higher rates of early termination of treatment. The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine a number of topics related to Mexican American mothers’ perspectives on adolescent mental health, including factors that contribute to problems, steps parents would be willing to take to help their adolescent, their beliefs about the use of mental health professionals, and their use of alternatives such as curanderos, priests, or family reliance to address their adolescent mental health problems. Participants were 27 mothers of adolescents who identify themselves as being of Mexican descent (Mexican; Mexican American). Mothers who agreed to participate were interviewed in person using a semi-structured interview format. The results revealed considerable consistency in the participants’ views regardless of family history, adolescent problems faced, language spoken, and their generation in the U.S. The results of this study indicated that the Mexican American mothers who participated were attuned to adolescent functioning, with a keen sense for determining whether their adolescent is experiencing problems. The participants were able to navigate a complex system that involved considering other resources in their surroundings to address their adolescent’s problems. Overall, participants indicated positive regard toward the use of family, church, schools, and professionals in helping their adolescent, while the use of traditional folk healers, such as curanderos, was only minimally indicated. / text

As much as the psychosocial nature of mental illness cannot be ignored, it is generally agreed that social ties play a beneficial role in the maintenance of psychological well-being. Small social networks, few close relationships, and low perceived adequacy of social support and quality of life have all been linked to depressive symptoms. Conversely, the challenges of establishing a causal relationship to social ties are generally greater for mental health than they are for other health outcomes. The purpose of the present study was to identify the association between social capital and overall psychological well-being among Canadian citizens aged 12 and older, by conducting a secondary analysis of microdata using the 2009/2010 cross-sectional Canadian Community Health Survey. The present study included a weighted sample of 124,188 individuals aged 12 years or older who participated in the Canadian Community Health Survey from 2009-2010. Ordinal regression was used to examine the association between self-perceived mental health and social capital in the context of community involvement and sense of belonging in the community. Respondents who felt a sense of belonging in their local community reported mental health superior to individuals who did not have a community-based sense of belonging. This association was explained by respondent’s age, sex, marital status and was mediated by voluntary organization membership and immigration status. Results provided evidence of a relationship between elements of social capital and mental health. Positive social relationships and civic engagement are relevant to positive mental health. / Thesis (Master, Sociology) -- Queen's University, 2013-11-22 00:31:17.297

Detta arbetes syfte är att fördjupa kunskapen om den mentala förberedelsens betydelse inför musikaliska framträdanden bland konstmusikaliska blåsmusiker. Genom att undersöka hur professionella musiker agerar mentalt före, under och efter konserter är avsikten att isolera framgångsrika tankemönster och mentala strategier. I sökandet efter tidigare forskning och böcker fann jag att inte mycket forskning bedrivits på området. Jag har läst och sammanfattat ett antal böcker om vad nervositet beror på, samt olika mentala strategier för att hantera problematiken. Därefter har jag med kvalitativ intervju som metod intervjuat fyra professionella blåsmusiker i den konstmusikaliska genren.Ingen av de intervjuade ansåg sig använda några speciella mentala knep. Musikerna har i huvudsak lärt sig själva hur de ska förbereda sig på det mentala planet. Dock fann jag tydliga likheter mellan de tankar informanterna begagnade sig av inför musikaliska framträdanden, och de mentala strategier som presenteras i litteraturen på området.Studien är inte tillräckligt omfattande för att dra några generella slutsatser på området. Den visar dock på att mental förberedelse inte måste vara något främmande eller ”hokus-pokus” utan handlar om att tänka tankar som främjar individens musikaliska förhållningssätt. Den mentala förberedelsen är dessutom så välintegrerad i musikerns dagliga övande att det ibland kan vara svårt att skilja dem åt. / This work aims to increase knowledge of the mental preparation before important musical performances amongst art musical wind musicians. By examining how professional musicians operate mentally before, during and after the concerts, the intention is to isolate successful thought patterns and mental strategies. In the search for previous research and books, I discovered that little research has been conducted in this particular area. I have read and summarized a number of books that discuss the nature of being nervous, and various strategies that can be applied to deal with nervousness.Proceeding, while using the qualitative interview as a method, I interviewed four professional wind musicians in the art musical genre.None of those interviewed claimed to use any special mental tricks. The musicians have essentially taught themselves how to prepare on a mental level. However, I found a clear parallel between the thoughts respondents took advantage of before the musical performances, and the psychological strategies presented in the literature in the field.3The study is not extensive enough to draw any general conclusions in the field, yet indicates that mental preparation is not to be viewed as something alien, but rather a strategy in promoting the individual's musical approach. The mental preparation is so well integrated into the musician's daily practicing that it can sometimes be difficult to distinguish between them.

No description available.

This study evaluated the role of asymmetric processing of information in depression. Depression has been hypothesized to involve a deficit in the global processing of information (Tucker, 1982). This type of global processing has been manipulated through the use of hypnosis by Crawford and Allen (1983). In the current study, a 3 x 2 ANCOVA design allowed the comparison of three groups of subjects on their performance on a perceptual task measuring global perception. The task chosen was designed by Navon (1977) and consisted of designs which differed on global or local features. The groups were screened with the Beck Depression Inventory, the Harvard Group Scale of Hypnotic Susceptibility, and the Edinburgh Handedness Inventory, yielding 46 subjects divided into three groups of right-handed males and females. The experimental group consisted of high susceptible depressives from the community. The controls were one group of high susceptible normals and one of low susceptible depressives. All groups performed the Navon task under both waking and hypnosis conditions. Analysis of the results revealed a main effect for group (F(2, 86) = 9.60, p < .01) on the global scores. In addition, high social desirability scores predicted slower presentation times. However, hypnosis was not effective in creating a significant change in performance on the dependent measure. The results are discussed as support for the hypothesized differences between depressives and normals. Differences between the measures used in the present study and that of Crawford and Allen suggest that hypnosis may mediate imagery at a conceptual level but not at the level of the primary visual-perceptual system.

Två utsatta grupper i dagens Sverige, som ideligen faller offer för nedlåtande fördomar, är invandrare och individer som lider av psykisk ohälsa. Syftet var att undersöka huruvida manipulation av en misshandlande gärningspersons etnicitet och psykiska hälsotillstånd kunde ge skilda resultat med avseende på bedömningen av brottets allvarlighetsgrad, straffvärde, medkänsla för gärningsmannen samt förståelse för den begångna handlingen. Deltagare var 151 studenter i åldrarna 20-64 år, varav 103 kvinnor, från en högskola i Sverige. Fyra olika vinjetter användes. För att undersöka eventuell samvariation korrelationstestades de beroende variablerna samt kontrollvariablerna. Olika 2 x 2 ANCOVA-analyser för oberoende mätningar gjordes. Resultatet motsade hypoteserna och visade inga signifikanta medelvärdesskillnader mellan vinjetterna, samt innebar inga mätbara fördomar; människors bedömning av gärningspersonen och handlingen tycks inte påverkas av dennes etnicitet och psykiska hälsotillstånd. Resultaten diskuterades och visade på en positiv trend, där människor med olika bakgrund värderas allt mer jämlikt iSverige.

Magister Scientiae (Occupational Therapy) - MSc(OT) / Return to work is a recognised goal of rehabilitation by the occupational therapy discipline that is addressed through vocational rehabilitation as a key feature of work practice. Programmes that fall under the umbrella of vocational rehabilitation include work preparation and training, work hardening and supported employment. In the case of mental health care users (MHCU), meaningful employment contributes to their sense of identity and the prevention of relapse. Vocational rehabilitation is thus important in preparing MHCU for self-employment or employment in the community after they are discharged from the hospital. There is however a dearth of literature pertaining to how vocational rehabilitation programmes particularly in a rural setting, is experienced by MHCU in South Africa. Therefore, the aim of this study was to explore the experiences and perceptions of MHCU regarding the usefulness of the vocational rehabilitation programme at a rural hospital in enhancing their worker roles. A qualitative research approach and exploratory descriptive research design was utilised. Purposive sampling was used to select participants for the study. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with ten MHCU participants as well as two focus groups. Semi-structured interviews were furthermore conducted with two key informants. All interviews and the focus group discussion were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim and analysed through thematic data analysis. Strategies implemented to ensure trustworthiness included member checking and peer review. Ethics clearance was obtained from the UWC Research Committee and permission to conduct the study at the hospital was requested from the Mpumalanga Provincial Health Ethics Committee and hospital management. Three themes originated from the findings of this study. Theme one describes the barriers experienced by people with mental illness while returning to work. Theme two describes the programme factors that influence return to work in respect of work habits, work skills, and community re-integration. Theme three captures the value of participating in the work programme as experienced by the participants. The findings of the study is related to the Model of The Ecology of Human Performance (EHP) to show how the vocational rehabilitation programme effected the MHCU’s return to work. The findings show that the context as well as the person’s skills and abilities are very important factors in reintegrating the user back to work. The study illuminated recommendations for the further development of the vocational rehabilitation programme.