Thesis (Dr. P.H.)--University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, School of Public Health, 2007. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 68-10, Section: B, page: 6595. Adviser: Arch I. Carson. Includes bibliographical references.

The problem of this study was the identification of ways and means of reducing paraprofessional turnover in mental health and mental retardation facilities. The high turnover rate of mental health and mental retardation paraprofessionals has major implications for the quality and cost of client services. Several researchers have suggested that adequately trained supervisors can influence the turnover rate among employees as well as their motivation and production. A six-month study of the Texas Department of Mental Health and Mental Retardation released in March, 1980 by a blue ribbon audit team blamed bad management practices, not low pay and poor working conditions, for the high rate of employee turnover. However, few studies have investigated the effect of supervisory training on turnover and researchers have called for additional studies in the area. The purpose of this study was to employ two specific intervention techniques with supervisory personnel in order to determine their effectiveness in reducing the rate of paraprofessional employee turnover in mental health and mental retardation facilities.

No description available.

No / It is estimated that 820,000 people in the UK have dementia. Dementia costs the UK 17 billion a year and in the next 30 years this will treble to over pound50 billion a year. There is a need to raise competence of staff delivering care to people living with dementia across health, social and voluntary sector provision. Effective education and training will build capacity and improve staff knowledge. However, at present not enough is known about the experiences of staff involved in gaining the skills, knowledge and attitudes required to support provision of high quality care for people with dementia. This study was conducted within a large National Health Service Trust in the UK serving an urban, ethnically mixed population, in collaboration with a local university. The trust responded to government policy by seeking to identify staff training needs. The aim was to explore the experiences of staff working within a specialist mental health service in relation to development of skills for the provision of person-centred care for people with dementia. To achieve this, staff roles, experiences of dementia training and the ways in which staff feel they learn were explored through focus group interviews. Relatives' views of staff competencies necessary for effective care provision were also explored to supplement the data from staff. A total of 70 staff and 16 family carers participated and data were subjected to inductive thematic analysis. Five themes emerged: competency-based skills, beliefs, enablers and barriers and ways of learning. Findings suggested participants felt that skills for person-centred care were innate and could not be taught, while effective ways of learning were identified as learning by doing, learning from each other and learning from experience.

Thesis (M Social Work)--Stellenbosch University, 2001. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study attempts to investigate the sources of stress and burnout in the social work profession and specifically in mental health settings. In order to achieve this, a literature study is undertaken which identified the sources of stress and burnout as external and internal stresses. External stresses can be identified as the administrative function of supervision, the educational function of supervision, and the relationship between the supervisor, the social worker and the client, aspects in the social work profession and the organisation. The personality and gender of the social worker are discussed as internal sources of stress. Social workers' experiences of stress and burnout are explored against the background of the socio-economic and political changes after the first democratic election in 1994 in South Africa. The literature review also indicated that there are peculiar stresses in mental health settings due to the clients' mental conditions. An exploratory study was undertaken in which 17 social workers in the Peninsula, working in mental health settings, participated. Information on the research topic was obtained by means of anonymous questionnaires. A group interview was arranged to ensure that all the questionnaires were received. It was found that since the 1994 democratic election, social workers worked under more stressful circumstances due to limited resources, restructuring, decreased manpower, a higher caseload, deinstitutionalisation of mental patients and an increased amount of uncertainty with regard to job security. Aspects in the social work profession that caused the most stress were identified as insufficient salaries and limited opportunities for promotion. The participants revealed uncertainty with regard to their future in the social work profession. Social workers acknowledge the importance of the supportive function of supervision but are also of the opinion that individuals should take responsibility to address burnout. Strategies that can be used by the social worker, the organisation and the supervisor to address burnout, are discussed. On the basis of the results and conclusion of the study, recommendations are made to supervisors, as well as further research. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: In hierdie studie word ondersoek ingestel na die bronne van stres en uitbranding in die maatskaplikewerkberoep en spesifiek in 'n geestesgesondheidsopset. Ten einde hierin te slaag, word 'n literatuurstudie onderneem en word die bronne van stres en uitbranding geïdentifiseer as eksterne stressors soos byvoorbeeld die administratiewe funksie van supervisie, die onderrrigfunksie van supervisie, die verhouding tussen die supervisor en die maatskaplike werker, die klientsisteem, aspekte in die maatskaplikewerkberoep en die organisasie, en interne stressors waaronder die maatskaplike werker se persoonlikheid en geslag bespreek is. Die sosio-ekonomiese en politieke veranderinge wat ingetree het na die eerste demokratiese verkiesing in 1994 in Suid-Afrika is in ag geneem en maatskaplike werkers se belewing van stres en uitbranding is teen hierdie agtergrond verder ge-eksploreer. Die literatuurstudie dui aan dat eiesoortige stressors in 'n geestesgesondheidsopset bestaan wat hoofsaaklik verband hou met die unieke kliëntsisteem en hul siektestoestand. 'n Verkennende studie is onderneem waartydens maatskaplike werkers in die skiereiland wat in 'n geestesgesondheidsopset werk, betrek is. Inligting is bekom deur middel van anonieme vraelyste. 'n Groeponderhoud het verseker dat al die vraelyste terug ontvang is. Daar is bevind dat maatskaplike werkers onder meer stresvolle omstandighede voor die 1994 verkiesing vanwee beperkte hulpbronne, herstrukturering, verminderde mannekrag, verhoogde gevalleladings, deïnstitusionalisering van pasiënte en groter onsekerheid met betrekking tot werksekuriteit. Aspekte in die maatskaplikewerkberoep wat die meeste stres veroorsaak is onder andere onvoldoende vergoeding en beperkte bevorderingsgeleenthede. Die respondente weerspieël 'n onsekerheid met betrekking tot hul toekoms in die beroep. Maatskaplike werkers erken die belangrikheid van die ondersteuningsfunksie in supervisie, maar is ook van mening dat individue 'n verantwoordelikheid het om self uitbranding aan te spreek. Strategieë wat die maatskaplike werker, die organisasie en die supervisor kan aanwend om uitbranding aan te spreek word derhalwe bespreek. In die lig van die bevindinge van die ondersoek, word aanbevelings aan supervisors gemaak ten opsigte van verdere navorsing.

O presente trabalho tem por objetivo refletir sobre a atuação/inserção dos trabalhadores em saúde mental na implantação da rede substitutiva de saúde mental do município de São Paulo, entre os anos de 1989 e 1992. A discussão, orientada pelas contribuições da Psicologia Social como descrita por Pichon-Rivière, apoia-se em dados coletados a partir da observação grupos de supervisão clínica/institucional. Estes grupos são parte do Projeto de Formação Permanente em Recursos Humanos na Área de Saúde Mental, resultado do convênio entre a Prefeitura do Município de São Paulo e a Universidade de São Paulo (PMSP/USP), através do termo aditivo entre Secretaria Municipal de Saúde e Instituto de Psicologia (SMS/PST-IPUSP), cuja realização se deu paralelamente à implantação da rede referida. Ressignificar e construir/superar limites conceituais, teóricos, técnicos, práticos; e problematizar as contradições, conflitos e dúvidas decorrentes da prática são fundamentais na substituição de práticas antimanicomiais. Ao enfocar a contradição entre saberes e práticas do modelo psiquiátrico tradicional X modelo antimanicomial, analisou-se os conflitos de natureza objetiva e/ou subjetiva, emergentes no contexto de trabalho e relacionados principalmente à concepção de loucura, constituição da equipe multiprofissional e formação dos trabalhadores em saúde mental na construção de práticas inspiradas nos princípios antimanicomiais. Constatou-se que contradições ('loucura/doença mental x saúde mental’, ‘loucura/desrazão X razão’, ‘anormalidade/patologia x normalidade’, ‘saber x não saber’, ‘modelo médico x não médico’, ‘terapêutico x não terapêutico’) provenientes da quebra do modelo manicomial desencadeiam processos de indiscriminação, emergentes nas relações intersubjetivas, tendo como efeito a perda de limites (‘trabalhadores x usuários’, ‘técnicos x não técnicos’, ‘neurose x psicose’, ‘eficiência x ineficiência’ de técnicas, ‘público x privado). Assim, a construção destes novos modelos, ligada a desconstrução do manicômio, apresenta-se como uma tarefa complexa, cuja realização não se restringe ao âmbito das práticas, pois carrega consigo contradições inerentes ao sistema social do qual advém (burguesia X proletariado, movimentos sociais x Estado, sociedade global x instituição de saúde, instituição x trabalhadores, trabalhadores em saúde mental x usuário/familiares e usuários x familiares). / The aim of the present study is to analyse the performance of mental health workers in the implementation of a new model of mental health care is the municipality of São Paulo, in the years 1989 to 1992. This study is based on data collected from the observation of groups of clinical/institutional supervision and is guided by the contributions of the Social Psychology as proposed by Pichon-Rivière. These groups were part of a Project for Continued Education in Human Resources in the Mental Health Area, agreed between the Municipality of São Paulo and the University of São Paulo (PMSP/USP), through the Municipal Health Secretarial and the Institute of Psychology (SMS/PST-IPUSP). The Project was developed at the same time as a new model for mental health care was implemented. An analyses indicate that to substitute the asylum practice it’s essential to give a new meaning to conceptual, theoretical, technical and practical limits and to bring to discussion the contradictions, conflicts and doubts which emerge in action. Focusing the contradiction between knowledge and practice in the traditional psychiatric model and in the anti-asylum model, we analysed the objective/subjective conflict emerging in the context of work and related mainly to the conception of madnees, the building-up of a multiprofessional team and the education of mental health workers in the developement of a practice based on the anti-asylum principles. Our findings show that the contradictions (madness/mental illness X mental health, madness/unreason X reason, abnormality/pathology X normality, knowledge X non-knowledge, medical X non medical model, therapeutic X non therapeutic) that result from the break of the asylum model foster a process of indiscrimination emerging in the inter subjective relationship and have the effect of loss of limits (workers X users, technician X non-technician, neurosis X psychosis, efficiency X inefficiency of techiniques, public X private). Thus the construction of these new model, linked to the ‘disconstruction’ of an asylum model, is a complexe task that cannot be restricted to the bounds of practice, since it has contradiction which are inherente to the social system from which it derives (bourgeoisie X workers, social movements X state, global society X health institution, institution X workers, workers in mental health X users/family and users X family).

O presente trabalho tem por objetivo refletir sobre a atuação/inserção dos trabalhadores em saúde mental na implantação da rede substitutiva de saúde mental do município de São Paulo, entre os anos de 1989 e 1992. A discussão, orientada pelas contribuições da Psicologia Social como descrita por Pichon-Rivière, apoia-se em dados coletados a partir da observação grupos de supervisão clínica/institucional. Estes grupos são parte do Projeto de Formação Permanente em Recursos Humanos na Área de Saúde Mental, resultado do convênio entre a Prefeitura do Município de São Paulo e a Universidade de São Paulo (PMSP/USP), através do termo aditivo entre Secretaria Municipal de Saúde e Instituto de Psicologia (SMS/PST-IPUSP), cuja realização se deu paralelamente à implantação da rede referida. Ressignificar e construir/superar limites conceituais, teóricos, técnicos, práticos; e problematizar as contradições, conflitos e dúvidas decorrentes da prática são fundamentais na substituição de práticas antimanicomiais. Ao enfocar a contradição entre saberes e práticas do modelo psiquiátrico tradicional X modelo antimanicomial, analisou-se os conflitos de natureza objetiva e/ou subjetiva, emergentes no contexto de trabalho e relacionados principalmente à concepção de loucura, constituição da equipe multiprofissional e formação dos trabalhadores em saúde mental na construção de práticas inspiradas nos princípios antimanicomiais. Constatou-se que contradições ('loucura/doença mental x saúde mental’, ‘loucura/desrazão X razão’, ‘anormalidade/patologia x normalidade’, ‘saber x não saber’, ‘modelo médico x não médico’, ‘terapêutico x não terapêutico’) provenientes da quebra do modelo manicomial desencadeiam processos de indiscriminação, emergentes nas relações intersubjetivas, tendo como efeito a perda de limites (‘trabalhadores x usuários’, ‘técnicos x não técnicos’, ‘neurose x psicose’, ‘eficiência x ineficiência’ de técnicas, ‘público x privado). Assim, a construção destes novos modelos, ligada a desconstrução do manicômio, apresenta-se como uma tarefa complexa, cuja realização não se restringe ao âmbito das práticas, pois carrega consigo contradições inerentes ao sistema social do qual advém (burguesia X proletariado, movimentos sociais x Estado, sociedade global x instituição de saúde, instituição x trabalhadores, trabalhadores em saúde mental x usuário/familiares e usuários x familiares). / The aim of the present study is to analyse the performance of mental health workers in the implementation of a new model of mental health care is the municipality of São Paulo, in the years 1989 to 1992. This study is based on data collected from the observation of groups of clinical/institutional supervision and is guided by the contributions of the Social Psychology as proposed by Pichon-Rivière. These groups were part of a Project for Continued Education in Human Resources in the Mental Health Area, agreed between the Municipality of São Paulo and the University of São Paulo (PMSP/USP), through the Municipal Health Secretarial and the Institute of Psychology (SMS/PST-IPUSP). The Project was developed at the same time as a new model for mental health care was implemented. An analyses indicate that to substitute the asylum practice it’s essential to give a new meaning to conceptual, theoretical, technical and practical limits and to bring to discussion the contradictions, conflicts and doubts which emerge in action. Focusing the contradiction between knowledge and practice in the traditional psychiatric model and in the anti-asylum model, we analysed the objective/subjective conflict emerging in the context of work and related mainly to the conception of madnees, the building-up of a multiprofessional team and the education of mental health workers in the developement of a practice based on the anti-asylum principles. Our findings show that the contradictions (madness/mental illness X mental health, madness/unreason X reason, abnormality/pathology X normality, knowledge X non-knowledge, medical X non medical model, therapeutic X non therapeutic) that result from the break of the asylum model foster a process of indiscrimination emerging in the inter subjective relationship and have the effect of loss of limits (workers X users, technician X non-technician, neurosis X psychosis, efficiency X inefficiency of techiniques, public X private). Thus the construction of these new model, linked to the ‘disconstruction’ of an asylum model, is a complexe task that cannot be restricted to the bounds of practice, since it has contradiction which are inherente to the social system from which it derives (bourgeoisie X workers, social movements X state, global society X health institution, institution X workers, workers in mental health X users/family and users X family).

The social phenomenon of stress and workplace burnout has spanned over five decades. Despite a plethora of literature that exists, there still remain problematic issues that neither scientific investigation or government legislation have been able to resolve. The literature examined throughout this research is extensive and does reflect this 50-year period. It demonstrates that studies into this phenomenon have attempted to define stress, identify causal factors of workplace stress, workplace burnout and environmental congruence; and discusses strategies (focused on both the individual and organizational levels) that have been implemented to effect beneficial outcomes for individuals affected by any one of these. As this thesis continues, the more recent literature gives a greater recognition to violence in the workplace and legislative enactments as preventative measures to reduce the heavy burden of costs, both physical and financial, to organizations. This extensive literature review indicates no answer to the problem has been identified to date and that this phenomenon remains, giving a clear indication that further scientific investigation is required to find a solution to what was described as the most serious health issue of the 20th century. Based on the literature examined this health issue has now gone well beyond the 20th century, giving relevance to the research study described in this thesis. The investigation is validated as vital and should be used as a basis for further research. This study undertook a collaborative social process, action research, empowering participants to identify and change stressful factors identified within their practice indicative to rural remote community mental health teams. A critical social theory arose out of the problems within the context of the research setting, based on the ideal that the significant issues for this group of individuals within this organization could be solved through the action research process. The group ‘existed’ within the issues indicative to this rural remote area, however these issues were outside their control. Through the implementation of the action research process courses of actions were undertaken that provided enlightenment in self-knowledge with dialogue heightening collective empowerment to effect change within their practice. The action research process, being a holistic process, facilitated this change in practice, developed and refined theory as it proceeded in a cyclic fashion within this local setting. It concerned actual not abstract practices in the social world in which these participants practice. This methodology facilitated examining the significant stressors identified by the Community Mental Health Support Team (CMHST) that caused distress, allowing them to implement changes in their practice. The forum provided an avenue that could reduce stressors significantly and prevent ongoing occupational stress that contributes to workplace burnout. It offered an opportunity to work with a group of participants in a nonhierarchical and non-exploitative manner and enabled members of this group to identify their roles as effective practitioners, empowering them to effect the changes they deemed as essential criteria to reduce the stress they were experiencing indicative to their remoteness. Critical reviewing throughout the data collection attempted to understand and redefine these significant issues. It aimed to acknowledge the way things were relative to how things could be improved from organizational, personal and wider community perspectives. Simple principles and guidelines of action research were followed potentiating acceptance as a rigorous research approach from a positivist perspective whilst retaining the attributes that characterise action research. There are solutions to the dilemma of the employee overcoming the debilitating effects of stress leading to workplace burnout. This includes the cooperation of managers, policy makers, academic researchers and government officials working collaboratively to reduce the impact of occupational stress. Through this collaborative process, changes can be effected to ensure the health of the nation improves and that relevant recognition is given to the fact that there is a significant threat to a healthy workforce. Examining the nursing profession from a social perspective provides alternatives to medicalising workplace injuries and illnesses. / Thesis (Ph.D.) - University of Adelaide, School of Population Health and Clinical Practice, 2008

A serious problem confronts the psychologist whose patient threatens, within the privacy of a therapy session, to inflict violent harm upon some third person. Therapists in Texas face a risk of unjust legal liability because of a lack of widely accepted, clearly and fully articulated standards. A questionnaire was submitted to Texas psychologists and Texas judges of mental illness courts. It involved a hypothetical case of a patient who threatened to kill his girlfriend. The hypothesis that no consensus exists at present among psychologists or judges appears to be supported by the data. Comparisons are made of the attitudes of psychologists and judges. Correlations between psychologist attitudes and certain demographic and practice variables are reported. The need for new legislation in Texas concerning legal liability of therapists for the violent behavior of patients is discussed. Proposed legislation for Texas is set out. Among its important features are (1) recognition that continued therapy is itself a protective strategy and (2) establishment of good faith as the standard by which the behavior of the therapist is to be judged.

PhD (Advanced Nursing Science) / Department of Advanced Nursing Science / iii Abstract The Mental Health Act is the law which sets out when you can be admitted, detained, and treated in hospital against your wishes. It is also known as being “sectioned”. For this to happen, certain people must agree that you have a mental disorder that requires a stay in hospital. In South Africa, the Mental Health Act of 1973 was noted to have many gaps. Due to all the shortcomings, in 2004 the Mental Health Care Act No. 17 of 2002 came into being in order to protect human rights of the mental health care users. This study sought to determine the knowledge and explore the experiences of medical doctors regarding the implementation of Mental Health Care Act No. 17 of 2002. Secondly, based on the findings, to develop a programme to facilitate the implementation of the Mental Health Care Act No. 17 of 2002 by medical doctors in Vhembe District. The population of this study consisted of all medical doctors working in Vhembe District Hospitals with mental health units and at a specialized mental health hospital as well as all documents completed by medical doctors during admission, care and discharge of mental health care users were purposively sampled. The study was conducted in two phases. In phase 1, where quantitative and qualitative designs were followed to do situational analysis. In phase 2, the programme was developed using results from phase 1, the theoretical framework and approaches outlined by Dickoff, James and Wiedenbach (1968); Chinn and Krammer (1999); Walker and Avant (1995). Individual in-depth interviews and questionnaires checklist were used to collect data which was analysed through opened coding method and SPSS. The findings of this study indicate that medical doctors have knowledge and skills deficit regarding implementation of the Mental Health Care Act No. 17 of 2002 during the admission, care, and discharge of mental health care users. Based on these, a programme to facilitate the implementation of the Mental Health Care Act No. 17 of 2002 by medical doctors during admission, care and discharge of mental health care users was developed. The study concludes that this is a significant contributor in supporting the vision of the National Department of Health to ensure improved mental health for all in South Africa. The study recommends a longitudinal study, tracking the impact of a developed programme, the knowledge of medical doctors regarding the implementation of Mental Health Care Act No. 17 of 2002, and its contribution to the improvement of mental health for all should be conducted over a period of 5 (five) to 10 (ten) years