Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Psychometric Analysis Of The Swedish Translation Of The Who Well-Being Scales, Jesper Löve, Crystal Moore, Lena Andersson, Gunnel Hensing

Crystal Moore

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to validate the Swedish translation of the WHO (Ten) and WHO (Five) Well-Being Questionnaires among three samples of Swedes.

Methods

Baseline data collected in 2008 from the Health Assets Project are the data source consisting of three cohorts of Swedes aged 19–64 years: (1) a randomized general population cohort (n = 4,027); (2) employees sick-listed reported by the employer (n = 3,310); and (3) self-certified sick-listed individuals (n = 498). The psychometric properties of the scales are assessed using factor analysis, Cronbach’s alpha, and examination of the relationship between scale …

Responding To The Challenge Of Problem Sexual Behaviour By Young People In Queensland: An Opinion, Scott Harden, Michelle Phillips, Stephen Stathis, Kerry Geritz, Tasneem Hasan, Mike Spiller, Bruce Watt, Angela Allen

Bruce Watt

There is general agreement that problematic sexual behaviour by young people is more common than was earlier believed and poses significant public health, juvenile justice and mental health difficulties for the community. A growing body of literature around the treatment of young people with inappropriate sexual behaviour has developed in recent decades. However, significant gaps remain as much of the literature is focused at the individual program level. As professionals in our jurisdiction of Queensland working in child and youth forensic mental health services, we have long been frustrated by the lack of a comprehensive, appropriately layered system of assessment …

Variability In Depressive Symptoms Of Cognitive Deficit And Cognitive Bias During The First 2 Years After Diagnosis In Australian Men With Prostate Cancer, Christopher Sharpley, Vicki Bitsika, David Christie

Vicki Bitsika

The incidence and contribution to total depression of the depressive symptoms of cognitive deficit and cognitive bias in prostate cancer (PCa) patients were compared from cohorts sampled during the first 2 years after diagnosis. Survey data were collected from 394 patients with PCa, including background information, treatments, and disease status, plus total scores of depression and scores for subscales of the depressive symptoms of cognitive bias and cognitive deficit via the Zung Self-Rating Depression Scale. The sample was divided into eight 3-monthly time-since-diagnosis cohorts and according to depression severity. Mean scores for the depressive symptoms of cognitive deficit were significantly …

Understanding Homelessness, Mental Health And Substance Abuse Through A Mixed Methods Longitudinal Approach, Rachel Rayburn

Rachel L Rayburn

This manuscript outlines the multiple methods utilized in a long-term follow-up of a non-traditional population: Homeless substance abusers in New Orleans. This article addresses qualitative mental health research by outlining steps taken to explore both qualitative and quantitative data sources. By way of qualitative and quantitative methods, this research examines the life course of a sample of New Orleans homeless substance abusers from the time they entered into treatment (1991) until the present and observes the quality of their social bonds and their long-term outcomes. By making use of mixed methods, this research gives a more thorough understanding of mental …

Brief Report: Need For Autonomy And Other Perceived Barriers Relating To Adolescents’ Intentions To Seek Professional Mental Health Care., Coralie J. Wilson, Frank P. Deane

Coralie J Wilson

The current study examined the relationship between belief-based barriers to seeking professional mental health care and help-seeking intentions in a sample of 1037 adolescents. From early adolescence to adulthood, for males and females, the need for autonomy was a strong barrier to seeking professional mental health care. Help-seeking fears were weaker in the older age groups. Having lower perceived need for autonomy and believing that prior mental health care was helpful was significantly associated with higher intentions to seek future professional mental health care. Implications for prevention and overcoming barriers to seeking mental health care are suggested.

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

Coralie J Wilson

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. …

Early Access And Help Seeking: Practice Implications And New Initiatives., Coralie J. Wilson

Coralie J Wilson

Seeking appropriate help for early signs and symptoms of psychological distress can reduce the long-term impact of many mental disorders. This article describes practice implications and new initiatives for promoting early access and help-seeking among young people. Relevant help-seeking research is reviewed, and prominent help-seeking barriers are discussed. Prominent barriers for young people include: incomplete mental health and emotional literacy, beliefs about having little need for help versus having a need for autonomy, and the process of help-negation for different symptoms of psychological distress. To improve early access to appropriate help and mental health services, barriers that can be reduced, …

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

Coralie J Wilson

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 …

Low Emotional Intelligence And Maladaptive Perfectionism, Mark Jackson, Richard Hicks

Richard Hicks

Emotional intelligence (EI) and maladaptive perfectionism have direct links to the development of psychopathology, but the exact relations are unclear (Mikolajczak, Luminet, Leroy & Roy, 2007). The current study examined the relationship between EI and perfectionism, especially low EI and high maladaptive perfectionism, and their affect on psychopathology. Fifty one males and 92 females (N= 143) completed the brief Trait Emotional Intelligence Questionnaire (Petrides & Furnham, 2006), the Multidimensional Perfectionism Scale (Frost, Marten, Lahart & Rosenblate, 1990), and the short version of the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale (Lovibond & Lovibond, 1995). Subjects were placed in a low or high …

Correspondence: Help-Negation, Coralie Wilson

Coralie J Wilson

It is positive that preliminary findings from the 2007 National Survey of Mental Health and Wellbeing suggest that more Australians than in 1997 are seeking help for common mental disorders. However, the 2007 Survey also suggests that two in three Australians who had common forms of mental disorder and 41% of those with serious thoughts of suicide during the last year did not seek or engage in professional help for their condition [1]. Even more concerning are the preliminary results suggesting that 86% of those who didn’t seek help for their common mental disorders thought they didn’t need any type …

Depressive Symptoms And Help-Seeking Intentions In Young People., Coralie J. Wilson

Coralie J Wilson

Whether the help-negation effect as demonstrated for suicidal thoughts was also evident for depressive symptoms was investigated in three studies of young people from diverse urban areas. The studies comprised a large sample of younger high school students (years 7-10), a sample of older high school students (years 8-12), and first year university students. A self-report questionnaire that measured help-seeking intentions, prior help-seeking experiences, and depression was administered. Results revealed the strongest inverse association between level of depressive symptoms was with intentions to seek help from parents across all three samples. There was a consistent trend for students to report …

When And How Do Young People Seek Professional Help For Mental Health Problems?, Coralie J. Wilson

Coralie J Wilson

Despite the high prevalence of mental health problems and disorders that develop in adolescence and early adulthood, young people tend to not seek professional help. Young men and young people from Indigenous and ethnic minority groups tend to be those most reluctant to seek help. Young people are more inclined to seek help for mental health problems if they: have some knowledge about mental health issues and sources of help; feel emotionally competent to express their feelings; and have established and trusted relationships with potential help providers. Young people are less likely to seek help if they: are experiencing suicidal …