Mental and Social Health Commons^™

A Butterfly Effect: The Impact Of Marriage And Family Therapy Training On Students' Spouses, Carla M. Dahl, Mary L. Jensen, Jane L. Mccampbell

Faculty Publications

This qualitative study examines the impact of mar- riage and family therapy (MFT) training on the

marriages of trainees. Analysis of data from 18 spouses of alumni from a training program in an evangelical Protestant seminary found participants reporting mostly negative impacts related to time and finances, both negative and positive impacts related to role changes and adjustments, and mostly positive impacts related to marital communication. The additional contribution of this study has to do with the report of an overwhelmingly positive impact of systemic, integrative MFT training on the student’s faith as observed by their spouse and on the …

Exploring The Impact Of Race On Mental Health Service Utilization Among African Americans And Whites With Severe Mental Illness, Michelle Hampton, Linda Chafetz, Mary White

Faculty Publications

BACKGROUND: Disparities among African Americans and Whites with severe mental illness have been identified in numerous studies. Yet it remains unknown if disparities are associated with race or other vulnerabilities common to this population. OBJECTIVES: This study used the Behavioral Model for Vulnerable Populations to examine mental health service utilization among 155 African Americans and Whites with severe mental illness for 12 months after discharge from a residential crisis program. DESIGN: This cross-sectional study was a secondary analysis of data from a randomized trial. RESULTS: Race did not emerge as a significant predictor of mental health service utilization. Factors associated …

Eligibility, Recruitment, And Retention Of African Americans With Severe Mental Illness In Community Research, Michelle Hampton, Mary White, Linda Chafetz

Faculty Publications

Data that addresses severely mentally ill (SMI) African Americans (AAs) likelihood to participate in clinical research is limited. This study’s purpose was to determine if differences exist between races regarding eligibility, recruitment, and retention in a community-based clinical trial. The sample included 293 participants. Data sources included clinical records and interviews. Logistic regression was used for analysis. AAs were as likely to participate and to complete followup interviews as Whites. In contrast to studies about non-mentally ill AAs, AAs with SMI appeared to be as willing to consent to and to remain in clinical research studies as Whites.

Does A Gatekeeper Suicide Prevention Program Work In A School Setting? Evaluating Training Outcome And Moderators Of Effectiveness, Tanya L. Tompkins, Jody Witt, Nadia Abraibesh

Faculty Publications

The current study sought to evaluate the suicide prevention gatekeeper training program QPR (Question, Persuade, and Refer) among school personnel using a non-equivalent control group design. Substantial gains were demonstrated from pre- to post-test for attitudes, knowledge, and beliefs regarding suicide and suicide prevention. Exploratory analyses revealed the possible moderating effects of age, professional role, prior training, and recent contact with suicidal youth on QPR participants’ general knowledge, questioning, attitudes toward suicide and suicide prevention, QPR quiz scores, and self-efficacy. The need for replication using a more rigorous experimental design in the context of strong community collaboration is discussed.

The Short-Term Effectiveness Of A Suicide Prevention Gatekeeper Training Program In A College Setting With Residence Life Advisers, Tanya L. Tompkins, Jody Witt

Faculty Publications

Although the college years prove to be a vulnerable time for students and a critical period for suicide prevention, few school-based prevention strategies have been empirically evaluated. The current study examined the short-term effects of QPR (Question, Persuade, and Refer), a gatekeeper training program that teaches how to recognize warning signs, question suicidal intent, listen to problems, and refer for help. The 122 residence advisers (RAs) who were trained in QPR demonstrated significant post-training gains across a variety of domains relevant to suicide and suicide prevention, with the 60 completing the follow-up assessment showing sustained knowledge and appraisals into the …

The Disordered And Discredited Plaintiff: Psychiatric Evidence In Civil Litigation, Deirdre M. Smith

Faculty Publications

This Article closely examines civil defendants' use of evidence of a plaintiff's alleged current or prior psychiatric diagnosis or treatment by analyzing and critiquing the three primary rationales offered in support of the relevancy of such evidence: to suggest an alternative or underlying cause of the plaintiff's alleged psychological injuries; to impeach the plaintiff's credibility by asserting that a mental illness interferes with her ability to recount or to perceive events accurately; and to reveal certain propensities that inform how the plaintiff likely acted with respect to the events at issue in the litigation. I note that, while attaching a …

An Uncertain Privilege: Implied Waiver And The Eviseration Of The Psychotherapist Patient Privilege In The Federal Courts, Deirdre M. Smith

Faculty Publications

Twelve years ago in Jaffee v. Redmond, 518 U.S. 1 (1996), the United States Supreme Court first recognized a federal common law psychotherapist-patient privilege and held that federal courts must protect confidential communications arising in psychotherapy despite the "likely evidentiary benefit" of such communications. This article examines the sharply conflicting authority in the federal courts that has developed since that landmark decision on the question of whether a plaintiff to a civil lawsuit waives the psychotherapist-patient privilege merely by seeking emotional distress damages. The federal courts' inconsistent and unprincipled approaches to this question renders the privilege itself nearly illusory and …

State Policies Matter: The Case Of Outpatient Drug Treatment Program Practices, Jamie Chriqui, Yvonne Terry-Mcelrath, Duane C. Mcbride, D Eidson

Faculty Publications

This study examined relationships between state policy requirements governing outpatient substance abuse treatment services and reported outpatient treatment program practices. State policies effective as of February 1, 2003, and February 1, 2004, were collected and analyzed via primary legal research; data were validated by state officials (88% response rate; > 90% validation rate). Treatment practice data were obtained from the National Survey of Substance Abuse Treatment Services for the years 2003 and 2004. Multivariate analyses clustered by state were conducted, controlling for state, program, and state-aggregated client admission characteristics. Results indicated that treatment programs located in states with requirements for comprehensive …

Does State Certification Or Licensure Influence Outpatient Substance Abuse Treatment Program Practices?, Jamie Chriqui, Yvonne Terry-Mcelrath, Duane C. Mcbride, S Eidson, Curtis J. Vanderwaal

Faculty Publications

In the United States, state governments legally authorize outpatient substance abuse treatment programs. In some states, programs are certified or accredited (ideal standards). Other states license programs (minimal standards). Additionally, some states authorize programs through "deemed status", which is afforded to programs attaining accreditation from a national accrediting body. Primary legal research and the National Survey of Substance Abuse Treatment Services' (N-SSATS) data were used to examine the relationships between state authorization type (certification/accreditation vs licensure with and without deemed status) and outpatient treatment program practices. Programs in certification/accreditation (vs licensure) states had significantly higher odds of offering wrap-around and …

Values In Family Therapy Practice And Research: An Invitation For Reflection, Stephen T. Fife, Jason B. Whiting Phd

Faculty Publications

Values have been shown to be a pervasive part of both marriage and family therapy (MFT) clinical practice and research. Yet, many therapists and researchers remain unclear about how values affect their work. This article examines the influence of Western philosophical assumptions and therapy traditions in light of current understandings of values in therapy. The influence of values in MFT research processes is similarly examined. Implications for how family therapy professionals can be more reflective and sophisticated in their understanding of values in clinical practice and scientific inquiry are discussed. Suggestions for addressing values in MFT training also are given.

Bereavement In The Modern Western World, David San Filippo Ph.D.

Faculty Publications

Bereavement is the process of suffering that follows the loss of a living being that is significant to someone. When one suffers, she or he has to endure an unpleasant experience, in the case of bereavement, the loss of something special to the person. This loss most often is a loved one but could also include the loss of a pet, relationship, or physical or mental capability. This state of suffering is called grief. In describing his grief, C. S. Lewis stated, after the loss of his wife, “No one ever told me that grief felt so much like fear. …

Developing Healthy Kids In Healthy Communities: Eight Evidence-Based Strategies For Preventing High-Risk Behaviour., Gary L. Hopkins, Duane C. Mcbride, Helen H. Marshak, Kiti Freier, John V. Stevens, Wendi Kannenberg, James B. Weaver, Stephanie L. Sargent Weaver, Peter N. Landless, Jonathan Duffy

Faculty Publications

Australian youth engage in behaviour that threatens their health and wellbeing. National surveys report that about a third of young Australians have tried an illicit drug. High rates of substance use and risky sexual behaviour among young Australians suggest that effective prevention efforts based on empirical evidence need to be expanded. Church-associated organisations are an untapped resource that could be used to improve the health and welfare of young people. We describe eight evidence-based elements to consider in designing strategies to prevent high-risk behaviour in young people.

Significant Stress And Real Rewards: The Ecological And Ambiguous Experiences Of Foster Parents, Jason B. Whiting Phd, Paul T. Huber Ma

Faculty Publications

To obtain an insider's perspective of the unique dynamics and needs of foster parents, surveys and interviews were conducted using human ecology and ambiguous loss as a guiding framework. The resulting qualitative and quantitative data show significant and distinctive stressors for foster parents. These include challenges with agency staff and procedures and ambiguous situations. However, these parents generally found meaning and satisfaction in service and coped with the help of informal and formal supports.

Foster Parent Pre-Service Training Programs: A Content Analysis Of Four Common Curricula, Jason B. Whiting Phd, Paul Huber, Alice Koech

Faculty Publications

This study compares four curricula commonly used in the pre-service training of US foster parents. Stufflebeam's (1983) CIPP model for program evaluation was used to guide a content analysis of each curriculum, with specific attention to the content and training methodology used. The content was examined to determine if it covered topics identified as germane to the task of fostering children. The instructional methodology of each program was compared with established andragogical adult education techniques. Results indicated that each curriculum varied in content and method of instruction, although there were many areas of overlap. Suggestions for curriculum selection criteria are …

An Overview Of The Near-Death Experience Phenomenon, David San Filippo Ph.D.

Faculty Publications

Near-death experiences appear to be universal phenomena that have been reported for centuries. A near-death encounter is defined as an event in which the individual could very easily die or be killed, or may have already been considered clinically dead, but nonetheless survives, and continue his or her physical life. Reports of near-death experiences date back to the Ice Age. There are cave paintings, in France and Spain that depict possible after life scenes that are similar to reported scenes related to near-death experiences. Plato's Republic presents the story of a near-death experience of a Greek soldier named Er. In …

Historical Perspectives On Attitudes Concerning Death And Dying, David San Filippo Ph.D.

Faculty Publications

Beliefs and practices concerning death have changed throughout human history. In pre-modern times, death at a young age was common due to living conditions and medical practices. As medical science has advanced and helped humans live longer, attitudes and responses to death also have changed. In modern Western societies, death is often ignored or feared. Changes in lifestyles and improved medical science have depersonalized death and made it an encroachment on life instead of part of life. This has left many people ill equipped to deal with death when it touches their lives.

Religious Interpretations Of Death, Afterlife & Ndes, David San Filippo Ph.D.

Faculty Publications

This E-book reviews religious beliefs concerning death, afterlife, and near-death experiences. The discussion will provide commentary regarding the similarities between different religious beliefs and experiences concerning death, as well as between religious interpretations of near-death experiences.

Perspectives On The Fears Of Death & Dying, David San Filippo Ph.D.

Faculty Publications

This E-Book will examine some perspectives on fear, the fears of death, and constructs used to overcome or deal with the fears of death. By examining the literature on fear in general, a framework can be developed to understand how individuals become fearful. In the section, “Fears of Death,” what people fear about death and why they fear it will be discussed.

Philosophical, Psychological & Spiritual Perspectives On Death & Dying, David San Filippo Ph.D.

Faculty Publications

This Ebook reviews the philosophical perspectives on death, the psychological perspectives on death and the fears of death and some religious perspectives of death. The philosophic section will review perspectives of death from ancient Greece through modernity. The psychological section will review death, and the fear of death, from the perspectives of psychoanalytic, humanistic, and existentialist theories. The religious section will provide a brief overview of Prehistoric, African, Buddhist, Hindu, Islamic, Jewish, and Christian religious beliefs concerning death and afterlife.

Recruitment And Retention Of African Americans With Severe Mental Illness In Community Research, Michelle Hampton, Mary White, Linda Chafetz

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

The Paradox Of Personality: Mental Illness, Employment Discrimination, And The Americans With Disabilities Act, Deirdre M. Smith

Faculty Publications

Both medicine and the law devote considerable concern to drawing lines, that is, to classifying and making distinctions. In medicine, such line-drawing occurs when a person is designated healthy or ill, normal or disordered. In the law, such line-drawing determines who does and does not bear legal responsibility for a given situation. This Article reviews the demarcation drawn by psychiatry and the courts between disfavored personality and mental illness, a dichotomy not based upon empirical science and therefore, wholly susceptible to social construction and implementation. While society may pathologize noxious personalities, thus making them disabilities, it is loath to extend …

Moral Responsiveness And Discontinuity In Therapy: A Qualitative Study, Jason B. Whiting Phd, R. Scott Nebeker, Stephen T. Fife

Faculty Publications

Phenomenological qualitative methods were used to identify and describe moral elements in therapeutic relationships. Using the relational philosophy of E. Levinas (1961/1969, 1979/1987) as a base, data in which therapists and clients identified and described morally responsive experiences in therapy sessions were analyzed. These moments were often unexpected and included categories of surprise, interruption, willingness to change, and clarifications/repairs. Additional moral phenomena related to therapists' attitudes included asymmetrical indebtedness, attitude of serving, and tentativeness of diagnosis. Identified moments of moral responsiveness were frequently associated with clients' progress in therapy. This suggests that conceptually smooth and uninterrupted therapy may be less …

Community And School Drug Prevention Strategy Prevalence: Differential Effects By Setting And Substance, Curtis J. Vanderwaal, Lisa M. Powell, Yvonne M. Terry-Mcelrath, Yanjun Bao, Brian R. Flay

Faculty Publications

This study used key informant interviews and student survey data in 508 U.S. communities to examine relationships between the prevalence of community and non-classroom-based school substance prevention strategies and teen substance use rates. After controlling for covariates, analyses indicated that: (1) adult-supervised after-school activities were significantly related to lower past 30-day cigarette smoking and both past 30-day alcohol use and binge drinking; (2) unsupervised after-school recreational facilities were significantly associated with both lower past 30-day cigarette smoking and current daily smoking; (3) community activities to reduce substance use were significantly related to lower binge drinking; and (4) student organizations to …

Using The Levels Of Family Involvement Model With Religious Professionals, Dale R. Hawley, Carla M. Dahl

Faculty Publications

Serving as a religious professional is a complex task with a wide variety of demands and responsibilities. This variety contributes to a professional identity that requires the fulfillment of a number of roles. The Levels of Family Involvement (LFI) model (W. J. Doherty, 1995) offers a structure for helping clergy ascertain which roles may be most beneficial to a family in a given set of circumstances, as well as which roles are beyond their training and mission. The LFI is offered as a guideline for helping clergy select modes of intervention and identify areas for personal and professional development. Case …

Alcohol, Tobacco, And Pharmaceutical Industry Funding: Considerations For Organizations Serving Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual And Transgender Communities, Laurie A. Drabble

Faculty Publications

Emerging research suggests that alcohol, tobacco and drug-related problems may be higher in lesbian and gay communities than in the population as a whole. At the same time, alcohol, tobacco and pharmaceutical industries have increased marketing strategies that are targeted specifically to lesbian and gay communities. Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) and HTV/AIDS organizations, often marginalized and under-funded, have frequently faced significant challenges in funding programs and special events. These organizations are often the very same groups needed to promote and support effective substance abuse countermeasures in LGBT communities. Agency leaders, community members, and substance abuse prevention advocates all …

Evaluating Therapy Outcome At A University Counseling Center Wit The College Adjustment Scales, Timothy B. Smith, Mark A. Nafziger, Gwenna C. Couillard

Faculty Publications

To assess the effectiveness of time-limited therapy in a university counseling center, 333 clients' pre-counseling and post-sixth session College Adjustment Scales (CAS) scores were compared. Statistical significant decreases in reported symptomatology were found on all CAS scales. Analyses of CAS data for students who were notably distressed prior to receiving counseling also yielded statistically significant differences, with effect sizes revealing moderate to large decreases in symptomatology. Further replicative work is recommended to document the impact and effectiveness of counseling center services.

An Evaluation Of The Clinical Utility Of The College Adjustment Scales, Timothy B. Smith, Mark A. Nafziger, Gwenna C. Couillard

Faculty Publications

Comparisons of College Adjustment Scales (CAS) profiles with interview data from 748 clients generally supported the clinical usefulness of the CAS, although further refinements appear warranted.

Compliance To Bleach Disinfection Protocols Among Injecting Drug Users In Miami, Clyde B. Mccoy, James E. Rivers, H. V. Mccoy, Paul Shapshak, Norman L. Weatherby, Dale D. Chitwood, J. Bryan Page, James A. Inciardi, Duane C. Mcbride

Faculty Publications

Bleach cleansing of injection equipment has been recommended to reduce the risk of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) transmission associated with the reuse of injection equipment by injecting drug users (IDUs). We evaluated the recall and performance of the most commonly recommended bleach cleansing procedure of two complete fillings of the syringe with bleach, followed by two complete fillings with rinse water, and not putting used bleach and water back into source containers. IDUs were taught this procedure on enrollment in an HIV prevention demonstration project in Dade County, Florida. During follow-up session 6-12 months after initial training, the knowledge and …