Students’ mental health issues are a common concern on college campuses and are often addressed via prevention programming called mental health literacy. This dissertation consists of two studies regarding mental health literacy programming for college students at a western university in the United States. In study one, the Mental Health Awareness and Advocacy Assessment Tool (MHAA-AT) was created and evaluated for its utility in assessing college students’ mental health literacy. This assessment tool is unique in that it is built upon a process-based approach to mental health literacy. The assessment tool demonstrated adequate psychometric properties and it was deemed an appropriate tool to assess college students’ mental health literacy, specifically their declarative knowledge, self-efficacy, and behaviors. In study two the Mental Health Awareness and Advocacy (MHAA) curriculum was created and evaluated in a college student population. The MHAA curriculum is unique in that is taught in-person or online in a degree seeking program at a college or university. Results from study two suggest that the MHAA curriculum was effective in increasing college students’ mental health literacy scores, specifically their declarative knowledge and self-efficacy. The benefit of this two-study dissertation is that it provides a unique way to deliver and evaluate effective mental health literacy prevention programming on a larger scale via a degree-seeking program to college students.

Adverse life events that occur in childhood may decrease an individual’s ability to effectively cope with challenges throughout their lives. The proper management of stress is essential to avoid problems that can crop up in all areas of life. College students who employ stress management tactics are better able to achieve well-being and academic success. This study examined the potential moderating association between “from within” coping supports or internal risk factors and academic success, mental health, and resilience qualities. Using a sample of college students at a large public university in the southeastern United States, this study demonstrates that viewing stress in a negative way may increase a student’s chances of failing to cope well with difficulty. Similarly, results of the analysis demonstrate that high perceived stress increases college students’ mental health issues and may diminish their capacity to cope with the challenges of the college environment. University officials may use the results from this study to inform policy and practice to address students’ ability to cope with stress and succeed academically.

Background: The purpose of this thesis is to investigate mental illness of young people placed in foster care inSweden, here defined as the occurrence of psychological and psychosomatic health problems. Method: The study utilizes data from Sweden using a self-assesment form filled out by 27.439 pupils in year 9of compulsory school, using data from the years 2008 – 2018. Applying various forms of regression models, thisstudy empirically evaluates the risk of psychosomatic and psychological health complaints among adolescentsplaced in foster care compared to adolescents from other family types. Results: The study found higher odds for young people in foster care compared to young people in nuclearfamilies to have five out of six psychosomatic disorders and five out of six psychological disorders. When compared to youth living with single parents the results showed higher odds for three out of six psychosomaticdisorders and two out of six psychological disorders. Conclusion: Youth in foster care is a population more vulnerable to mental illness than youth in other familytypes. Professionals working with and for adolescents living in foster care need to actively pay attention to boththe psychosomatic and psychological indicators of mental health issues.

Syftet med studien var att undersöka om det fanns ett samband mellan arbetsbelastning och psykisk ohälsa hos socialarbetare. Syftet var även att jämföra arbetsbelastning, psykisk ohälsa samt stöd i form av rollförväntningar, egenkontroll samt socialt stöd på arbetsplatser hos olika enheter inom socialtjänsten. Totalt deltog 69 socialarbetare från tre olika typer av enheter: ekonomiskt bistånd (n=34), bistånd Socialtjänstlagen (SoL) och Lag om stöd och service till vissa funktionshindrade (LSS) (n=34) samt barn och familj (n=1). Barn och familj exkluderades utifrån låg svarsfrekvens. En korrelationsanalys visade att det fanns ett samband mellan arbetsbelastning och psykisk ohälsa och fyra oberoende t-tester visade att endast socialt stöd skiljde sig åt mellan enheterna. I diskussionen diskuteras förklaringsmodeller till resultatet utifrån krav-, kontroll- och stödmodellen, tidigare forskning och metod. / The aim of the study was to examine if there was a correlation between workload and mental health issues for social workers. The aim was also to compare workload, mental health issues and support in terms of role expectations, control, and social support in Swedish social services. A total of 69 social workers from three different kinds of units participated: economic support (n=34), support from Law of Social Welfare (SoL) and the Law of Support and Service for Persons with certain Functional Impairments (LSS) (n=34) and child welfare (n=1). Child welfare was excluded due to the low response rate. A correlation analysis showed that there was a significant correlation between workload and mental health issues. Four independent t-tests showed that only social support differed between the units. In the discussion the results are being discussed through the Job-Demand-Control-Support Model, previous research and the method.

Bakgrund Psykisk ohälsa hos äldre patienter är ett stort växande samhällsproblem. Äldre patienter har en större benägenhet att drabbas av psykisk ohälsa på grund av förändringar i livssituationen. Detta växande problem kräver kunskap och adekvat utbildning hos vårdpersonalen för att bemöta dessa patienter på ett personcentrerat och värdigt sätt. Syfte Syftet är att beskriva hur äldre personer med psykisk ohälsa upplever sig bemötta i hälso- och sjukvården. Metod Denna icke-systematiska litteraturöversikt baseras på 14 vetenskapliga artiklar. Dessa artiklar är hämtade från PubMed, CINAHL och PsycInfo. Alla artiklar har bedömts utifrån Sophiahemmets bedömningsunderlag för att kvalitetssäkra informationen. Resultatet bearbetades och analyserades med hjälp av en integrerad dataanalys. Resultat Tre huvudkategorier identifierades vid sammanställning av resultatet, dessa tre huvudkategorier är: Att bli lyssnad på, kommunikation och delaktighet i egen vård. Resultatet visade på vad äldre värdesätter i mötet med vårdpersonal och vilka faktorer som kan leda till att äldre inte väljer att söka vård för psykisk ohälsa. Respekt, engagemang och att bli tagen på allvar är centrala delar i mötet mellan patienter och vårdpersonal. Slutsats Äldre patienter väljer i stort utsträckning att prioritera bort behovet av att söka hjälp för psykisk ohälsa. Detta på grund av att psykisk ohälsa ses som en naturlig del av åldrandet både hos patient och vårdpersonal, samt rädsla för att bli illa bemött. / Background Mental illness in elderly patients is a major growing societal problem. Elderly patients have a greater tendency to suffer from mental illness due to lifestyle changes. This growing problem requires knowledge and adequate training on the part of healthcare professionals to respond to these patients in a person-centered and dignified manner. Aim The aim of this study was to describe elderly patients' experience of treatment of mental health issues in healthcare services. Method This non-systematic literature review is based on 14 scientific articles with a qualitative, mixed-method and quantitative approach. The articles were retrieved from the databases PubMed, CINAHL and PsycInfo. Using Sophiahemmet University assessment basis, the articles have undergone a quality review to ensure scientific classification and quality. The results were processed and analyzed with an integrated data analysis. Results Three main categories were identified when compiling the results, these three main categories are: Being listened to, communication and participation in self-care. The results showed what the elderly value in the meeting with healthcare personnel and which factors can lead to the elderly not choosing to seek care for mental illness. Respect, commitment and being taken seriously are central parts of the meeting between patients and healthcare staff. Conclusions Older patients tend to deprioritize the importance of seeking help for mental illness. This is because mental illness is seen as a natural part of aging in both patients and healthcare staff, as well as fear of being treated badly.

No description available.

Bakgrund: Postpartum Depression (PPD) drabbar mellan 10-15 % av alla kvinnor som föder barn och karakteriseras av depressiva symtom. PPD kan orsakas av flera faktorer, såsom tidigare erfarenhet av psykisk ohälsa och psykisk ohälsa under graviditeten. Syfte: Syftet är att beskriva kvinnors upplevelser med postpartum depression. Metod: Studien är en kvalitativ litteraturöversikt baserad på tio vetenskapliga artiklar som belyser kvinnors perspektiv. Resultat: Kvinnor upplevde bristande anknytning till sina barn och bar på en överväldigande känsla av ansvar gentemot dem. Dessutom kände de sig otillräckliga inför de förväntningar som samhället hade på dem. Det framkom även att många kvinnor fann det svårt att prata om sina känslor på grund av rädsla att bli dömda som "dåliga mammor". Stigmatiseringen kring PPD försvårade ytterligare att prata öppet om sina upplevelser. Konklusion: Studien visade att majoriteten av kvinnorna hade svårt att prata om sina upplevelser. De betonade vikten av hälso- och sjukvårdspersonal, var medvetna om detta och visade empati, förståelse för att underlätta för dem i deras svåra situation. Det framgick även att kvinnor kände sig mindre isolerade om de kunde dela sina erfarenheter med sina närstående eller andra kvinnor i liknande situationer. / Background: Postpartum Depression (PPD) affects between 10-15% of all women who give birth and is characterized by depressive symptoms. PPD can be caused by several factors, such as previous experiences with mental health issues and mental health issues during pregnancy. Aim: The aim of this study is to describe women's experiences with postpartum depression. Method: The study is a qualitative literature review based on ten scientific articles that describe women's perspectives. Findings: Women experienced a lack of attachment to their children and carried an overwhelming sense of responsibility towards them. In addition, they felt inadequate to society's expectations of them. Many women found it difficult to talk about their feelings due to fear of being judged as 'bad mothers'. The stigma surrounding PPD made it evenmore difficult to open up about their experiences. Conclusion: The study showed that the majority of women had difficulty talking about their experiences. It's important that healthcare professionals were aware of this and showed empathy, understanding to faciliate in their difficult situation. It also appeared that women felt less isolated if they could share their experiences with their relatives or other women in similar situations.

Graduation rates in bachelor's degrees in the United States continue to be lower than stakeholders expect, despite the many advantages of college completion. This phenomenological study investigated the interplay between resilience, coping strategies, and college completion for undergraduate art and design students in an effort to improve graduation rates. The purpose of this study was to address gaps in the literature regarding art and design students' resilience and academic success. Findings were interpreted using 3 conceptual frameworks: resilience theory, Bronfenbrenner's ecology of human development, and Dweck's theory of mindsets and self-beliefs. Research questions guiding this study addressed the external and internal factors that support resilience, the most stressful situations students faced while attending the university, and the coping strategies students used to manage stress, regain resilience and graduate. Data collection included individual semi-structured interviews with 11 graduating seniors and an alum from a single public university in the eastern United States. Data were supplemented by individual semi-structured interviews with 1 faculty member and 2 campus counselors from the same university who had extensive interactions with art and design undergraduates. Key results from the data analysis found that supportive relationships with peers, access to financial aid, stress-free living environments, motivation, tenacity, and self-efficacy were important factors for academic success. The most stressful situations students reported were studio critiques, a lack of compatibility with roommates, and health issues. This study promotes positive social change by providing information for stakeholder's use in bolstering students' resilience in order to manage stress and improve college completion rates.

This study explored the predictors of community supervision failures amongst female offenders in the United States criminal justice system. Female offenders have, in comparison with male offenders, particular challenges for community reintegration. This study used the relational theory and Maslow's hierarchy of needs theory to investigate the effects of childhood trauma on adult female offenders' behaviors, including substance use disorder and mental health issues. Secondary archival data were obtained from the Court Services and Offender Supervision Agency's AUTO Screener and Supervision and Management Automated Record Tracking System; this data pool included information on 1,085 female offenders who had served at least one year on probation, supervised released, and/or parole. Hierarchical logistic regression was used to examine childhood trauma, adult substance use, and substance use and mental health treatments received for the study population. Additional demographic variables were also tested as predictors of community supervision failures. Age, marital status, and caregiving for dependent children were identified as significant predictors of community supervision failures. Results indicated that community supervision failures among female offenders are predicted by relational activities. Positive social change is implicated through programmatic changes offered to female offenders. It is recommended that criminal justice agencies equip female offenders with effective strategies that address relational needs such as childcare, parenting, and life skills assistance. Through these changes, female offenders are able to promote healthier lifestyles for themselves, families, and become productive members of their communities.

Barn som mår psykiskt dåligt och inte går till skolan uppmärksammas allt oftare i media. Både svensk och internationell forskning pekar på att skolfrånvaron ökar världen över.  Här i Sverige riktats kritik mot skolornas hantering av elever med problematisk frånvaro och syftet med denna studie var att undersöka specialpedagoger och kuratorers upplevelse av arbetet med målgruppen. Av intresse var vilka faktorer de upplever underlättar respektive försvårar arbete med målgruppen samt deras upplevelse av både interprofessionell samverkan (inom elevhälsan samt mellan elevhälsa och lärare) samt den intersektoriella samverkan (med socialtjänsten och BUP).  Studien hade en kvalitativ ansats och genomfördes via sju semistrukturerade kvalitativa intervjuer med tre specialpedagoger och fyra kuratorer från sju olika högstadieskolor spridda över landet och med varierande yrkeserfarenhet.  Studiens resultat visar att kuratorer och specialpedagoger upplever en hög grad av frustration kopplat till arbete med målgruppen. Deltagarna kände sig trygga med sina arbetsmetoder men hade sällan möjlighet att arbeta fullt ut i enlighet med dessa på grund av tids- och resursbrist.  Den interprofessionella samverkan inom elevhälsan beskrevs som välfungerande men med ökande svårigheter kopplade till samverkan med lärare. Den intersektoriell samverkan med socialtjänsten och BUP beskrevs fungera dåligt vilket resulterade i tidskrävande arbete utanför det egna yrkesspecifika handlingsutrymmet. Deltagarna uttryckte en stark känsla av ansvar gentemot sina elever samt en frustration utifrån upplevelsen att socialtjänsten och BUP lättvindigt avslutade ärenden vilket medförde betydande hinder för återintegrering av eleverna i skolan. / Media coverage of children with school attendance problems and mental health issues is increasing worldwide. Within a Swedish context, schools are being critiqued for poor handling of these cases. The aim of this thesis was to investigate how school counselors and special pedagogues perceive their work with the respective school’s 7th to 9th grade students. Which obstacles and opportunities do they perceive connected to the methods and strategies they employ in working with these students? How do they feel about the interprofessional collaboration within the school mental health team and in relation to the teachers and how do they perceive the collaboration with the local social services agencies and child psychiatric services?   The study was based within a qualitative research tradition and seven qualitative interviews with three special pedagogues and four school counselors were performed. The participants came from seven different schools from around Sweden and had varying degrees of experience working in schools. The results show that both school counselors and special pedagogues have a high degree of frustration connected to their work with these students. They felt comfortable how they should be working within the bounds of their respective roles but described how limited resources connected to time and staffing prevented them from working in accordance with these methods.   A major area of frustration was connected to poor collaboration with teachers as well as with the local social services agencies and child psychiatric services. The failed collaboration resulted in counselors and special pedagogues working outside the framework of their roles and they described a strong sense of responsibility for the students they worked with. They also described a sense of frustration connected to collaborative partners within the local social services agencies and the child psychiatric services failing to provide adequate support in the cases. This despite the students and families being in need of support to start the process of reintegration into the school environment.