Media representation of depression in young people: a corpus-based analysis of Irish newspaper coverage

2013 ◽  
Vol 31 (1) ◽  
pp. 21-30 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. Tobin ◽  
F. Lyddy

ObjectivesNewspaper media are an important source of information regarding mental health and have a significant influence on people’s awareness of, and decision making around, mental health issues. Depression in young people has seen increasing media attention in recent years, but few studies have examined media representation of mental health, specifically in young people. The current study used a quantitative approach to examine the words used in reports concerning depression in young people, in Irish broadsheets, published between 2007 and 2011.MethodA sample of 269 texts, containing 176 223 words, was collected from three Irish broadsheet newspapers, using the search terms ‘depression’ or ‘depressed’ or ‘mental health’ and ‘youth’ or ‘young people’. A corpus-based approach was used to examine word frequencies, clusters and keywords.ResultsThe analysis identified textual patterns, suggesting recurring associations between youth depression and suicide, and, to a lesser extent, alcohol use and bullying. Keywords relating to emotional distress and symptoms of depression were less frequent and sometimes associated with constructions inferring lack of agency (such as ‘suffering from’). A focus on the role of the parents was also evident. Of the professions mentioned, psychiatrists were referred to most often.ConclusionsThe analysis suggests that media coverage of depression in young people accurately reflects concerns reported in surveys by young people, but provides less information that might help in recognising depression in a young person.

2020 ◽  
pp. 103985622097005
Author(s):  
Oliver Smith ◽  
Jessica Bergmann ◽  
Ulrich Schall

Objective: General practitioners (GPs) are key health professionals for referrals to mental health specialists. Youth mental health issues are particularly challenging, requiring a competent assessment and understanding of appropriate referral pathways. We surveyed local GPs about their understanding of youth mental health problems and needs to competently look after young patients. Methods: GPs working in the Hunter region were contacted via email, fax and post over a 6-month period in 2019. Results: Seventy-five GPs participated. They reported 577 of 1698 (34%) of young people seen 2 weeks prior to being surveyed presented with a mental health problem. Predominantly, referrals were to private practice psychologists and Headspace. Almost a third (31%) reported having limited understanding of ‘at-risk mental state’ and are ‘not always comfortable’ when facing a young person with a mental health problem. Nearly all (95%) expressed interest in attending specialised training. GPs identified treatment costs, scarce access to psychiatrists and limited patient engagement as the main obstacles to help young people. Conclusions: Effective treatment of a mental health problem relies on early identification. GPs are seeing young people on a regular basis but don’t feel well equipped for this task and are keen to up-skill, which needs to be addressed by targeted training.


2019 ◽  
Vol 90 (3) ◽  
pp. 172-181
Author(s):  
Melanie Baak ◽  
Emily Miller ◽  
Anna Ziersch ◽  
Clemence Due ◽  
Shepard Masocha ◽  
...  

2021 ◽  
Vol 17 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Tooba Lateef ◽  
Jiyao Chen ◽  
Muhammad Tahir ◽  
Teba Abdul Lateef ◽  
Bryan Z. Chen ◽  
...  

Abstract Background The recent outbreak of COVID-19 has impacted adversely upon the mental health of millions of people worldwide. Impacts on the mental health conditions and the associated predictors relating to adults in Pakistan, the fifth most populous country in the world, during the COVID-19 remain understudied. Our aim was to investigate distress, anxiety, and overall mental health and their associated predictors among Pakistani adults in this pandemic. We specifically examine mental health issues based on the distance from the epicenter, (a predictor that has revealed opposing evidence in other countries) based on the theories of typhoon eye effect and ripple effect. The sample consisted of 601 adults who were surveyed online about 2.5 months into the outbreak across Pakistan with varying distances from the epicenter of COVID-19 of Karachi. Results The results showed that 9.2 and 19.0% of the participants surpassed the cut-off criteria for distress and anxiety disorders, respectively. Overall, the distance from the epicenter positively predicted the mental health of adults in Pakistan, and family size negatively moderated this effect. The distance from the epicenter negatively predicted distress and anxiety disorders for adults in large families, which are quite common in Pakistan. Conclusion The evidence of the study interestingly finds that the prediction of the mental health of people by their distance from the epicenter depends on family size. The evidence of this study can help to provide initial indicators for mental health care providers to screen vulnerable groups in Pakistan, a populous country that continues struggling to cope with the COVID-19 pandemic.


2013 ◽  
Vol 24 (1) ◽  
pp. 54-68 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. B. H. Yap ◽  
N. J Reavley ◽  
A. F. Jorm

Aims.An inherent prerequisite to mental health first-aid (MHFA) is the ability to identify that there is a mental health problem, but little is known about the association between psychiatric labelling and MHFA. This study examined this association using data from two national surveys of Australian young people.Methods.This study involved a national telephonic survey of 3746 Australian youth aged 12–25 years in 2006, and a similar survey in 2011 with 3021 youth aged 15–25 years. In both surveys, respondents were presented with a vignette portraying depression, psychosis or social phobia in a young person. The 2011 survey also included depression with suicidal thoughts and post-traumatic stress disorder. Respondents were asked what they thought was wrong with the person, and reported on their first-aid intentions and beliefs, which were scored for quality of the responses.Results.Accurate labelling of the mental disorder was associated with more helpful first-aid intentions and beliefs across vignettes, except for the intention to listen non-judgementally in the psychosis vignette.Conclusions.Findings suggest that community education programmes that improve accurate psychiatric label use may have the potential to improve the first-aid responses young people provide to their peers, although caution is required in the case of psychosis.


2016 ◽  
Vol 42 ◽  
pp. 96-103 ◽  
Author(s):  
Foteini Tseliou ◽  
Aideen Maguire ◽  
Michael Donnelly ◽  
Dermot O’Reilly

Author(s):  
Sophie Collingwood ◽  
Laura McKenzie-Smith

Background: Uniform has traditionally been worn in psychiatric inpatient and other mental health settings, but there has been a move to non-uniform in recent years. Some services have made the change back to uniform, raising questionsabout the potential impact on patients and staff.Aim: To review the impact of uniform within a psychiatric inpatient or mental health setting.Method: Databases were searched for articles exploring the impact of uniform use using specified search terms. Articles were assessed for suitability with inclusion and exclusion criteria, critically appraised, then analysed for themes using thematic analysis.Results: 17 papers were included in the review. Thematic analysis identified five main themes and 29 subthemes. Main themes were Attitudes and interactions, A freer environment, Are you both nurses?, The ‘ideal self’ and There are more important things. A critical appraisal of the articles suggested issues with validityand reliability, which are discussed.Discussion: Studies identified that wearing non-uniform facilitated positive changes in both patients and staff. This raises the potential negative impact of uniform on both patients and staff, and the role of power imbalance in these settings is discussed. Further themes around identification of staff out of uniform were considered.Implications for practice: The use of uniform in mental health and psychiatric inpatient settings should be considered carefully, due to the potential negative impact, whilst also recognising the importance of staff identification and supporting professional identity.


2020 ◽  

Schools may be a particularly good place to pick up on the early signs of mental health difficulties. Emma Soneson and Tamsin Ford outline the reasons for this


2021 ◽  
pp. 089801012110390
Author(s):  
Rebecca H. Lehto ◽  
Megan Miller ◽  
Jessica Sender

Treatments for addressing psychiatric mental health issues in vulnerable patients with cancer are established. Yet, many patients persist with unrelenting psychological difficulties despite intervention. There is growing interest in the role of psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy for managing treatment-resistant mental health challenges in patients with cancer. Psilocybin is a naturally occurring compound derived from certain mushroom species that can induce entheogenic experiences or an altered state of consciousness. Reed's Self-Transcendence Theory provides a holistic lens to examine existential concerns and mental health in individuals who perceive their illness as potentially life threatening, such as those with cancer. This scoping literature review used Arksey and O’Malley's template to evaluate research examining psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy for patients with cancer. Eight articles met inclusion/exclusion criteria (four quantitative, two mixed methods, and two qualitative). Review findings indicated that the majority of patient experiences were positive, centering on themes of death acceptance, reflection, and broadened spirituality. Although psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy is in early stages of clinical testing, it thus shows promise for carefully screened patients with cancer who have persistent existential suffering. It will be critical for investigators to tailor this emerging intervention to select patients and for clinicians to be engaged in assessment of outcomes and efficacy.


2018 ◽  
Vol 11(1)/2018 (11(1)/2018) ◽  
pp. 225-255
Author(s):  
Monika Wojtkowiak

AbstractWe live in an era of the informational societies when we can observe the new phenomenones on a collective level but also on the level of individuality. The domination of the Internet in everyday life of the young people implicates that it is needed to explore the problem of its impact on shaping a personality, an identity or an attitude of a user. The article relates to the issue of how the young people function in an e-web, especially taking cognisage of a specific properties of that environment. It is also an attempt to answer the question about the possible role of a family towards the dangers a young person encounters on the Internet. The study especially focuses on the proactive and supportive measures.


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