Psychology Commons^™

Incarceration And Reintegration: How It Impacts Mental Health, April M. Marier, Alex Alfredo Reyes

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

ABSTRACT

Background: Previous criminal justice policies have been non-effective leading to overpopulated prisons and unsuccessful reintegration. There is a lack of effective supportive and/or rehabilitative services resulting in high rates of recidivism and mental health implications. Objective: This study investigated the perceived impact that incarceration and reintegration with little to no supportive and/or rehabilitative services has on the mental health status of an individual. The emphasis was on participant perception and not on professional reports because of underreporting and lack of attention to mental health in the criminal justice system. Methods: Focus groups in the Inland Empire and Coachella Valley …

A Mental Health Epidemic: The Case For Mental Health Programs On College Campuses And How To Increase Awareness, Connor Deason

Senior Theses

This senior thesis project focused on the problem of mental health on college campuses. Specific interest was placed on students at the University of South Carolina. In the end, the goal was to create a product that could be used by the Counseling and Human Development Center to help increase the use of student mental health services and reduce levels of stigma surrounding mental health problems. In talking with staff members of the Counseling and Human Development Center, staff members shared a desire for a video that would advertise the services of the Counseling Center. Thus, the true purpose of …

Military Service Members’ And Veterans’ Preferred Approach To Mental Health Services, Lisa Goldberg Looney

Theses and Dissertations

Mental health services are greatly underutilized by military service members and veterans. Among the reasons for this underutilization is that the services offered may not be a good fit for the specific problems facing service members/veterans and/or their families. The current study presented service members with descriptions of several approaches to treatment and asked them to indicate the likelihood of using each. Service members indicated the highest likelihood for using self-directed services, followed by individual treatment with a professional. They reported being least likely to use group approaches. These results may inform decisions about the implementation and dissemination of information …

The Role Of Problem Orientation Cognitive Distortions In Depression And Anxiety Intervention For Young Adults., Coralie Wilson

Coralie J Wilson

Interventions that aim to improve social problem-solving skills can significantly reduce the severity of anxiety and depression symptoms in young people. Anxious and depressed individuals often have a negative orientation to problem solution which acts as a barrier to implementing problem-solving skills. Research with older adults suggests that symptoms impair problem-solving abilities through cognitive processes associated with the development of anxiety and depression. In this study we extend previous investigations by assessing the extent to which specific cognitive distortions and symptoms of anxiety and depression are associated with negative problem orientation in a sample of 285 young adults aged 18 …

Rural Adolescents’ Help Seeking Intentions For Emotional Problems: The Influence Of Perceived Benefits And Stoicism., Coralie Wilson

Coralie J Wilson

This paper is the second from a larger multi-cite study developed and led by the third author which explores factors that influence adolescents' help-seeking intentions. Specifically, this paper investigates the extent to which perceived benefits of help seeking, stoicism, gender and symptoms of psychological distress are associated with intentions to seek professional help for emotional problems. A cross sectional self-report questionnaire was administered to adolescents recruited from seven high schools in rural towns in the Riverina region of New South Wales. A total of 778 adolescents were recruited. The sample included 373 male and 404 female participants between 13 and …

Predicting Adolescents’ Future Intentions To Seek Help For Mental Health Problems., Coralie J. Wilson

Frank Deane

This study examined whether high school students’ current symptoms of general psychological distress, self-rated social problem-solving skills, and recent help-seeking experiences predict their future intentions to seek help for a mental health problem. At Time 1, 98 high school students, aged 12-17 years, completed the study self-report survey that included measures of psychological distress, social problem-solving skill, and recent help-seeking behaviour. At Time 2, three weeks later, the same students completed measures of help-seeking intentions. Students with more severe levels of distress symptoms at Time 1 had lower intentions to seek help for a mental health problem at Time 2. …

Rural Adolescents’ Help Seeking Intentions For Emotional Problems: The Influence Of Perceived Benefits And Stoicism., Coralie J. Wilson

Frank Deane

This paper is the second from a larger multi-cite study developed and led by the third author which explores factors that influence adolescents' help-seeking intentions. Specifically, this paper investigates the extent to which perceived benefits of help seeking, stoicism, gender and symptoms of psychological distress are associated with intentions to seek professional help for emotional problems. A cross sectional self-report questionnaire was administered to adolescents recruited from seven high schools in rural towns in the Riverina region of New South Wales. A total of 778 adolescents were recruited. The sample included 373 male and 404 female participants between 13 and …

The Effects Of Need For Autonomy And Preference For Seeking Help From Informal Sources On Emerging Adults’ Intentions To Access Mental Health Services For Common Mental Disorders And Suicidal Thoughts., Coralie J. Wilson

Coralie J Wilson

Emerging or early adulthood is the life stage spanning 18-25 years of age. In Australia, anxiety and affective disorders (often classified as ‘common mental disorders’) are prevalent in this age group and suicide is also a concern. Professional mental health care can reduce the long-term impact of these mental health problems and protect against the development of severe forms of these disorders. However, up to three-quarters of young people with mental health needs do not seek professional help for their condition. This study aimed to examine the extent to which belief in the need for autonomy and intentions to seek …

General Psychological Distress Symptoms And Help-Seeking Intentions In Young Australians, Coralie Wilson

Coralie J Wilson

Epidemiological studies suggest that young people might have a tendency to avoid help when they experience symptoms of psychological distress. There is growing evidence that many young people prefer no help from anyone for their mental health problems. The current study examined the association between symptoms of general psychological distress and intentions to seek help from friends, family and professional mental health sources in a sample of 109 trade (TAFE) students from regional and rural Australia. Participants were 67% male and aged from 15-25 years. Higher levels of general psychological distress symptoms were associated with stronger intentions to not seek …

Adolescents' Suicidal Thinking And Reluctance To Consult General Medical Practitioners, Coralie Wilson

Coralie J Wilson

Appropriate help-seeking is widely recognized as a protective factor, and vital for early treatment and prevention of mental health problems during adolescence. General medical practitioners (GPs), that is, family doctors, provide a vital role in the identification of adolescents with mental health problems and the provision of treatment as well as access to other specialists in mental health care services. The current study is part of a larger multi-cite study developed and led by the first author. It examines the association between suicidal ideation and intentions to seek help from a GP for suicidal thoughts, emotional problems and physical health …

Help-Negation And Suicidal Ideation: The Role Of Depression, Anxiety And Hopelessness., Coralie J. Wilson

Frank Deane

Help-negation is expressed behaviorally by the refusal or avoidance of available help and cognitively by the inverse relationship between self-reported symptoms of psychological distress and help-seeking intentions. The current study is part of a larger multi-cite research program developed and led by the first author. It examines the association between suicidal ideation and intentions to seek help from friends, family and professional mental health sources in a sample of 302 Australian university students. Participants were 77.5% female and aged from 18-25 years old, with 85.4% aged 21 years or younger. Higher levels of suicidal ideation were related to lower help-seeking …

Reducing Adolescents' Perceived Barriers To Treatment And Increasing Help-Seeking Intentions: Effects Of Classroom Presentations By General Practitioners., Coralie J. Wilson

Coralie J Wilson

The Building Bridges to General Practice (BBGP) program is an outreach initiative (written by the first author). It aims to reduce young peoples’ perceived knowledge- and belief-based barriers to engaging in treatment and to increase their behavioral intentions to consult a general medical practitioner (GP) for physical and psychological problems. By increasing intentions, the BBGP program aims to increase actual consultations with a GP for both types of problem. The current paper is the first of a series that report results from a larger multi-cite research project, developed and led by the first author, which examines the impact of BBGP …

Reducing Adolescents' Perceived Barriers To Treatment And Increasing Help-Seeking Intentions: Effects Of Classroom Presentations By General Practitioners., Coralie J. Wilson

Frank Deane

The Building Bridges to General Practice (BBGP) program is an outreach initiative (written by the first author). It aims to reduce young peoples’ perceived knowledge- and belief-based barriers to engaging in treatment and to increase their behavioral intentions to consult a general medical practitioner (GP) for physical and psychological problems. By increasing intentions, the BBGP program aims to increase actual consultations with a GP for both types of problem. The current paper is the first of a series that report results from a larger multi-cite research project, developed and led by the first author, which examines the impact of BBGP …

Brief Report: Impact Of Classroom Presentations About Health And Help Seeking On Rural Australian Adolescents’ Intentions To Consult Health Care Professionals., Coralie J. Wilson

Frank Deane

Building Bridges-GP-Team (Building Bridges-Team; Wilson et al., 2004c) is a variation of the Building Bridges to General Practice: GPs in Schools program (Building Bridges-GP; Wilson et al., 2004a), which promotes consultation with health care professionals who are local and available for rural and regional adolescent’ consultation. The first major component of Building Bridges-GP-Team involves structured health professional training that provides knowledge in three basic areas: (1) adolescents’ help seeking barriers and ways to address barriers in primary health care; (2) developmental issues relevant to adolescent’ help seeking; and (3) classroom management, presentation strategies, and elementary teaching skills. Training is based …

Brief Report: Impact Of Classroom Presentations About Health And Help Seeking On Rural Australian Adolescents’ Intentions To Consult Health Care Professionals., Coralie J. Wilson

Coralie J Wilson

Building Bridges-GP-Team (Building Bridges-Team; Wilson et al., 2004c) is a variation of the Building Bridges to General Practice: GPs in Schools program (Building Bridges-GP; Wilson et al., 2004a), which promotes consultation with health care professionals who are local and available for rural and regional adolescent’ consultation. The first major component of Building Bridges-GP-Team involves structured health professional training that provides knowledge in three basic areas: (1) adolescents’ help seeking barriers and ways to address barriers in primary health care; (2) developmental issues relevant to adolescent’ help seeking; and (3) classroom management, presentation strategies, and elementary teaching skills. Training is based …

Supporting Young People To Seek Professional Help For Mental Health Problems: Cover Feature., Coralie J. Wilson

Coralie J Wilson

No abstract provided.

Help Seeking For Mental Health Problems In Adolescence And Early Adulthood., Coralie J. Wilson

Coralie J Wilson

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Adolescence and young adulthood are critical life stages for mental health, as this is the period when most mental health problems and mental disorders have their peak incidence. It is also a time of increased suicidal ideation and frequency of suicide attempts. Despite the importance of adolescence and young adulthood in the aetiology of mental disorders, there is evidence that young people may be poorly informed about mental health and are unlikely to consult a professional for their mental health problems. Help-seeking is a term used to refer to the behaviour of actively seeking help from other people. …

Adolescent Opinions About Reducing Help-Seeking Barriers And Increasing Engagement., Coralie Wilson

Coralie J Wilson

Effective mental illness prevention programs are important for the safety of youth and adolescents. Research suggests that programs should facilitate appropriate help-seeking by lowering help-seeking barriers. This study used focus groups to obtain high school student opinions about actual help-seeking behaviors, reducing adolescent help-seeking barriers, raising sensitive issues with adolescents, and increasing appropriate help-source engagement. Transcript analysis revealed several themes. Relationship and trust were key approach factors for current help-seeking. Memories of successful prior helping episodes were also important. Education about appropriate help-seeking, presented in ways consistent with those currently used by adolescents (e.g., through peer networks), might reduce help-seeking …

Adolescent Opinions About Reducing Help-Seeking Barriers And Increasing Engagement., Coralie J. Wilson

Frank Deane

Effective mental illness prevention programs are important for the safety of youth and adolescents. Research suggests that programs should facilitate appropriate help-seeking by lowering help-seeking barriers. This study used focus groups to obtain high school student opinions about actual help-seeking behaviors, reducing adolescent help-seeking barriers, raising sensitive issues with adolescents, and increasing appropriate help-source engagement. Transcript analysis revealed several themes. Relationship and trust were key approach factors for current help-seeking. Memories of successful prior helping episodes were also important. Education about appropriate help-seeking, presented in ways consistent with those currently used by adolescents (e.g., through peer networks), might reduce help-seeking …