Thesis (MSc. (Physiology)--Faculty of Health Sciences) - University of Pretoria, 2005. / Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (M.S.)--University of Michigan, 1985.

Thesis (M. Sc.) Nursing Sciences)) -- University of Limpopo, 2016

Previous research has revealed heterogeneity in outcome trajectories among individuals seeking psychotherapy. However, questions remain as to the number, nature, and predictors of these trajectories. Therefore, the present study had three aims: 1) to identify heterogeneous latent groups among treatment trajectories of 212 clients with major depressive disorder (MDD) seeking psychotherapy at a community mental health training clinic; 2) to identify significant associations between clinical and demographic variables and group membership; and 3) to identify correlations between trajectory shape and positive treatment outcome. Prior to treatment, participants provided demographic information and completed symptom severity ratings. Once in treatment, participants completed a self-report of distress via the Outcome Questionnaire (OQ-45) at every session. Growth mixture modeling was utilized to identify distinct patient subgroups based on outcome trajectories among the sample. Three distinct latent classes of treatment trajectory were identified, providing evidence of heterogeneity in treatment trajectories among individuals with MDD. Baseline distress, pre-treatment work problems, and sleep difficulties were found to be predictive of an individual's membership in a specific trajectory group. Finally, specific shapes of change, namely early response and sudden gains, were associated with positive treatment outcome. Findings from this study can be used to identify patients at risk for treatment failure, allowing clinicians to intervene earlier to enhance mid-treatment feedback and prognosis.

Estimates of healthy years of life lost due to mental illness are increasing, calling greater attention to the provision of effective psychotherapy services. Hypothesized to be the key mechanism through which competencies are developed in trainee clinicians and subsequent client outcomes, clinical supervision is deserving of greater attention. Drawing on a sample of supervisors, trainees, and clients from a training clinic, the present study sought to clarify the relational factors that could facilitate the asserted supervisor-client outcome link and to better understand if, and how, clinical supervisors influence client outcomes. With the exception of supervisor openness to experience, supervisor factors did not predict meaningful variance in client outcomes. Trainee extraversion and openness to experience predicted significant variance in leader-member exchange and supervisory working alliance. Dispositional trainee factors (e.g., personality) appear to impact trainee perceptions of the supervisory relationship. Implications for training and development are discussed, in addition to directions for future research.

The study sought to analyse the referrals received by a psychiatric unit in a general hospital in the Western Cape by studying the referral letters and the referral responses. The study sought to determine which departments were referring patients and which patients were being referred. The completeness and appropriateness of the referrals were also studied. The major inferences drawn from this study are that health care workers have a poor concept of what information the psychiatric units needs and about the scope and function of the unit. The poor feedback from the psychiatric unit to the referral source is indicative of the poor communication amongst the health care team members. / Health Studies / M.A. (Advanced Nursing Sciences)

Thesis (MA (Psychology))--University of Stellenbosch, 2007. / The main objective of this study was to investigate interpreting practices within the psychiatric hospital San Marco1, in the Western Cape. More specifically, the aim was to determine what factors might lead to the obstruction of accuracy by asking employees that act as official and unofficial interpreters to report on certain issues relating to interpreting practices. The second objective of the study was to gain some understanding of what interpreters experience when doing interpreting especially since unofficial interpreters (nurses, cleaners and administrative staff) are often used to act as interpreters within South Africa’s public health services and this may not only have implications for accuracy but also for interpreters’ own mental health. A cross-sectional qualitative interview design was used. The research participants consisted of eight employees of San Marco, (including two administrative clerks/ interpreters, two bilingual security guards, and four bilingual nurses), and two bilingual psychiatrists, who, though not being employees of San Marco, yet have experience in interpreting while working as psychiatrists within psychiatric institutions in South Africa. Participants were asked to respond to semi-structured questions. In addition, participants took part in a structured task in which they were asked to translate and back-translate commonly-used diagnostic questions. Content analysis was used to analyse data collected from semi-structured interviews and participants’ translations and back-translations were checked for inaccuracies. The analysis of interviews revealed the following information: • not all of the participants who act as interpreters are in fact functionally bilingual in the context with which they work • none of the interpreters are trained in interpreting; and • a clear distinction could be drawn between interpreters who have training in mental health compared to those who lack training in mental health or psychiatry. Furthermore participants’ translations of the nine questions were approximately right. Participants’ translations conveyed more or less the same messages as what was intended with the original English questions. In fact the translations were fairly accurate for untrained interpreters. However, participants were not always specific as to what they were asking about. Interpreters need to translate questions in such a way that it is diagnostically specific in order for the clinician to make an accurate diagnosis. It is crucial that patients have a clear understanding about what the interpreter are asking them and this was not always evident in participants’ translations. The abovementioned results may for obvious reasons lead to the obstruction of accurate interpretation however it should not be attributed to a lack of competence on the interpreters part but should rather be attributed to challenges in a health system which has inherited a history of discrimination and continues to discriminate against certain patients, even when clinicians and interpreters alike may be doing their best not to discriminate. The problem is structural rather than individual, and needs to be addressed as such, and in the context of competing demands in public health care. Although the interviews did reveal valuable information regarding the obstruction of accuracy it should be kept in mind that an analysis of actual recorded interpreting sessions between the clinician, patient and interpreter is necessary for a more in depth understanding of the obstruction of accuracy as investigated in this study and such a study is currently in the planning phase.

The problem with which this study is concerned is the delineation of current practices in therapeutic recreation in psychiatric treatment centers in Texas, The programs of the forty-two hospitals responding to the survey questionnaire were evaluated in terms of the National Therapeutic Recreation Society's "Standards for Therapeutic Recreation in Psychiatric Facilities." It was determined that, while the use of recreation in psychiatric rehabilitation is widespread, many programs are not administratively independent., A close association between recreation and occupational therapy was found. Extensive recreation facilities and activities were reported. Use of community resources was widespread, but follow-up and leisure counseling services were rare. Most personnel had no recreation training. The evaluation showed limited compliance with the standards.

Title from second page of PDF document. Includes bibliographical references (p. 228-234).

Thesis (D. Min.)--Erskine Theological Seminary, 2008. / Abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 131-134).