scholarly journals Teachers’ Perceptions of Student Mental Health in Eastern China: A Qualitative Study

Author(s):  
Min Yao ◽  
Paul Kadetz ◽  
Aissata Mahamadou Sidibe ◽  
Yedong Wu ◽  
Jiameng Li ◽  
...  

In China, primary and secondary school teachers, known as ban zhu ren, have pastoral responsibility for the students in their class. The aim of this preliminary study is to identify how ban zhu ren perceive the mental health of their students, and how they have acted on these perceptions. Content analysis was used to organize the data and distinguish categories or themes derived from in-depth semi-structured interviews conducted with 27 ban zhu ren from Zhejiang and Anhui provinces. Frequencies of informant responses were used to identify the areas of agreement and disagreement across identified categories and themes among the informants. The results illustrate that the informants consider issues, such as not paying attention in class (n = 14), not getting along well with classmates (n = 12), and excessive gaming (n = 11) to be indicative of mental illness, although these would commonly be considered normal adolescent behaviors. Fifteen informants admitted that they found it difficult to work with student mental health issues, and 18 felt they had inadequate or non-existent training. However, all informants stated that they had intervened with what they perceived to be students’ mental health issues, although only 9 informants had referred students for professional help. The informants reported that they were reluctant to provide referrals, due to the stigmatization they believed students would experience if given a diagnosis of mental illness. We conclude that among our informants there is a lack of agreement on what behavioral and mental health issues are, and that informants may be confusing what are, in actuality, non-conformist or non-compliant (yet often normal), adolescent behaviors with mental illness due to insufficient mental health training.

2017 ◽  
Vol 41 (S1) ◽  
pp. S582-S582
Author(s):  
M. Sewell ◽  
V. Mondello ◽  
T. Styles ◽  
D. Paul ◽  
D. Vecchio

IntroductionThere is little research comparing patients’ views with those of their treating psychiatrists. In a survey of patients’ views conducted in 1993 for MIND (UK) by Rogers, Pilgrim and Lacey only 10% saw their problems in terms of mental illness. This highlights the tension between psychiatric codifications of mental abnormalities and explanations provided by patients themselves.AimsThis pilot project explores the perceptions of mental health issues in patients and their psychiatrists in a regional Western Australian setting.MethodsA mixed methods approach including semi-structured interviews of patients and their treating psychiatrists. Recruiting 5 consecutive people in the categories of involuntary in-patients, voluntary in-patients, patients on CTO, community patients and their psychiatrists.Questions asked of the patients were:– Why are you here?– What problems do you have?– What can be done?– What control do you have?– What control do other people have?Psychiatrists were asked similar questions. Responses were recorded, transcribed and thematically analyzed to reveal key themes. Quotations are used to illustrate points participants wished to make.ResultsWe report on differences in understanding in both groups. This study reveals areas for further enquiry.ConclusionsConsiderable diversity is revealed. A key conclusion is that insight is a concept relevant both for treated and treating.Disclosure of interestThe authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.


BJGP Open ◽  
2021 ◽  
pp. BJGPO.2021.0201
Author(s):  
Nancy Jennifer Sturman ◽  
Ryan Williams ◽  
Marianne Wyder ◽  
Johanna Lynch

BackgroundAlthough GPs provide care to many patients with severe and persistent mental illness, the role and skillset of the GP in this space are contested. Patients are less satisfied with GP care of mental health than physical health issues.AimTo explore patient expectations and experiences of GP roles in their mental health, and identify opportunities for improving mental health care in general practice.Design & settingPatient participants were recruited from community mental health clinics in Brisbane, Australia.MethodIndividual semi-structured interviews were conducted with a convenience sample of patients. Interviews were audio-recorded and transcribed professionally. The authors conducted an inductive thematic analysis, attending to participant vulnerability and reflexivity.Results16 interviews were conducted by one author (RW), average duration 29 minutes. Three overarching themes were identified: being heard; being known; and being safe. Participants greatly valued ‘good GPs’ who were able to detect early signs of relapse, and with whom they came to feel heard, known and safe over time. Experiences of perfunctory, hurried care and avoidance of mental health issues were also reported. Many participants were uncertain whether GP training in mental health was sufficient to keep them safe. Patients may suspect negative attitudes to mental illness in GPs who actively engage predominantly with their physical health.ConclusionSome GPs play central roles in patients’ mental healthcare. Barriers for others need further exploration, and may include time, confidence and/or expertise. Findings challenge GPs to engage more actively and effectively with these patients in theirgeneral practice consultations.


BJPsych Open ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (S1) ◽  
pp. S288-S289
Author(s):  
Brishti Sengupta ◽  
Pritha Dasgupta

AimsTo survey the effect of COVID-19 on mental health of both medical professionals and the general population, as well as attitudes surrounding the disclosure of mental illness.MethodAn online survey comprised of two questionnaires, one for medical professionals and one for the general population, were conducted via social media. Both questionnaires asked respondents of the effect of COVID-19 on their mental health, and the former asked respondents about the effect of COVID-19 on their patient group's mental health. The questionnaires went on to ask respondents about their attitudes to mental health disclosure in various scenarios, to varying groups of people. The general population group was also asked how they would react if someone else disclosed their mental illness to them.ResultThe questionnaire for the medical professionals gained 62 respondents and the one for the general population had 122 respondents, with responses from multiple nations. Overall, COVID-19 has affected everyone's mental health to a degree, and all groups had reservations about disclosing their mental health issues to others. The medical professionals were especially reluctant to disclose mental illness to their patients, but were more comfortable when it came to disclosing mental illness to colleagues. The general population, however, was much more reluctant to disclose mental health issues to their colleagues. The general population were, on the whole, willing to listen to and help anyone who came to them with mental health concerns. Both groups surveyed showed reluctance toward disclosure to the wider community.ConclusionCOVID-19 appears to significantly affect not only physical health, but mental health as well. There is at least some degree of stigma surrounding the disclosure of mental health issues. While most would be happy to help anyone who came to them with their mental health problems, there seems to be an attitude shift when people must contend with mental health issues of their own.


2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lisa Sontag-Padilla ◽  
Michael Dunbar ◽  
Rachana Seelam ◽  
Courtney Kase ◽  
Claude Setodji ◽  
...  

Author(s):  
Victoria Morris ◽  
Hannah S. Scott

This article explores the victimizing experiences of individuals with mental illness using grounded inductive qualitative research methods, by extracting themes from 15 first-hand accounts of living with mental illness delivered on the TED Talks media platform. Emergent themes included (1) victimizing effects of the illness including the effects of medication and the effects of stigma, (2) normalcy, (3) the importance of help-seeking in the process of overcoming obstacles presented by mental health issues, and (4) victimization by others. We conclude that the speakers in our sample, even though they reflect an extraordinary level of functioning, still view themselves as what Becker (1991 [1963]) describes as outsiders, acting as moral entrepreneurs, crusading to normalize madness through a variety of strategies.


2021 ◽  
Vol 48 (3) ◽  
pp. 308-322
Author(s):  
Jennifer Payne

Students enter college with pre-formed beliefs about the causes of mental health issues, from spiritual explanations (e.g., demonic possession) to biological explanations (e.g., genetics). However, they rarely have thought through how their faith backgrounds influence their beliefs about mental health. MSW students in their clinical concentration year engaged in a class-based assignment in which they explored the question, "Where are you on the spectrum of belief regarding the cause of mental illness?" A qualitative content analysis was completed on 69 student papers collected over five years. Results showed how each student's religious childhood experience shaped his or her view about mental illness causes.


2020 ◽  
Vol 53 ◽  
pp. 169-182
Author(s):  
Jurg Gerber ◽  
Ahram Cho

Mental health issues experienced by jail inmates in Texas: An overview of diagnostic problemsThe main purpose of the article is to show selected aspects of prisoners’ mental health in the United States using the example of the state of Texas. The article indicates the nature and scope of needs in the area of inmates’ mental health in various correctional units and shows some aspects of the diagnosis problems. The authors analyze the reasons for the transfer of responsibility for mental health of prisoners sentenced to the administration of correctional facilities, especially jails. The article also shows the needs of the Prison Administration regarding convicts’ mental health training and classification systems for prisoners in Texas.


2017 ◽  
Vol 47 (3) ◽  
pp. 136-151 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dimitris Giamos ◽  
Alex Young Soo Lee ◽  
Amanda Suleiman ◽  
Heather Stuart ◽  
Shu-Ping Chen

This study aimed to better understand campus mental health culture and student mental health coping strategies, and to identify the mental health needs of students as well as gaps in mental health services within postsecondary education. A videovoice method was used to identify and document health-related issues and advocate for change. Forty-one interviews were conducted with campus stakeholders at five universities. Five themes involving mental health emerged from the campus interviews: the stigma of mental illness; campus culture related to mental health; mental health services available and barriers to mental health services on campus; accommodations for students’ mental health needs; and student mental health coping strategies. A documentary was developed to advocate for better mental health. We conclude that although Canadian campuses are raising awareness about mental health issues, there is not enough mental health infrastructure support on campuses; in particular, accessibility to campus mental health resources needs improvement.


2019 ◽  
Vol 13 (3) ◽  
pp. 451-468 ◽  
Author(s):  
Misia Gervis ◽  
Helen Pickford ◽  
Thomas Hau

The purpose of this study was to investigate counselors’ professional understanding of the long-term psychological consequences of injury in UK football players. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 11 counselors who were registered to work for the Professional Footballers’ Association (PFA). The interviews examined the counselors’ perception of the relationship between long-term injury and presenting mental health issues, the antecedents to those mental health issues, and recommendations for psychological intervention following injury. The critical finding was the mental health problems regularly presented to PFA counselors were often the psychological and behavioral consequences of long-term injury. Counselors recommended that early and sustained psychological intervention with long-term injured players would act as a preventative measure against future mental health issues.


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