Stigma matters: An African American psychology professor comes out of the mental illness closet.
The debilitating stigma of mental illness is present in psychologists, psychology departments, and in the larger higher education environment. My reflections on my experience as an African American psychology professor living with bipolar disorder can shed light on how stigma can prevent colleagues from intervening and providing much-needed support to a colleague in crisis. I summarize the history of my struggle with mental illness and with the decision to write about it. I emphasize the importance of vigilance with respect to the fact that changes in medication can rapidly and radically impact one’s mood and behavior. M...
Source: Psychological Services - August 27, 2020 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Source Type: research
Clinical effectiveness study of a treatment to prepare for trauma-focused evidence-based psychotherapies at a veterans affairs specialty posttraumatic stress disorder clinic.
Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) clinics in the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) often provide psychoeducational or skill-building groups to prepare veterans for trauma-focused PTSD treatments. However, there has been limited evaluation of the effectiveness of this phase-based approach for treatment engagement and symptom reduction. Participants included 575 veterans seeking treatment for PTSD whose treatment outcomes were assessed in a VA outpatient PTSD clinic staffed by mental health professionals and trainees. Participants completed self-report measures of baseline characteristics and psychiatric symptoms as par...
Source: Psychological Services - August 27, 2020 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Source Type: research
Mental health and substance use patterns associated with lifetime suicide attempt, incarceration, and homelessness: A latent class analysis of a nationally representative sample of U.S. veterans.
A substantial proportion of U.S. military veterans experience mental health and/or substance use disorders. As public awareness of these difficulties rises, so too does interest in the relation between veteran behavioral health and high-risk events, namely suicide attempts, incarceration, and homelessness. Using latent class analysis and a large, nationally representative sample of community veterans, the current study examined common patterns of veteran behavioral health disorders and the associations between these patterns and high-risk events. Results suggest four classes of veterans, including a “healthy” class (co...
Source: Psychological Services - August 27, 2020 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Source Type: research
A shared lived experience of a psychologist battling a mental health crisis.
This article is a combined 1st-person narrative of a mental health professional with a mental illness, referred to as a prosumer, and her psychologist friend who stood by her during her 1st manic episode with psychosis. Challenges prosumers face are highlighted. These include stigma, questions about the impact of illness on ability to work in the field, and the choice of whether to disclose about the illness and to whom. Disclosures about lived experience within public settings, outside of the therapy room, are encouraged for several reasons. Visibility can reinforce recovery, promote understanding and accurate empathy, en...
Source: Psychological Services - July 16, 2020 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Source Type: research
Acceptability of a transdiagnostic behavior therapy in veterans with affective disorders.
Transdiagnostic behavior therapy (TBT) has been found to lead to significant reductions in affective disorder symptoms. However, patient satisfaction and treatment fit for TBT have not been examined. Within a sample of veterans, the current study examined the acceptability of TBT in comparison to brief behavioral activation (BA) for depression. Results found individuals in the TBT condition (compared to BA) were more satisfied with therapy, F(1, 48) = 6.68, p = .013. In addition, they were more likely to say that they would recommend this treatment to a friend, F(1, 48) = 3.76, p = .058, and that the TBT treatment helped t...
Source: Psychological Services - July 16, 2020 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Source Type: research
Culturally sensitive clinical practices: A mixed methods study.
The purpose of this mixed methods study was to discover if and how clinicians integrate cultural factors into treatment, what specific ‘culturally sensitive’ practices clinicians utilize, and who clinicians use these practices with. In Study 1(N = 9) qualitative interviews were conducted with psychologists who shared information about the culturally sensitive clinical practices that they utilize. Based on the results from Study 1, a survey was created for Study 2 and completed by 142 psychologists. There were three overriding conceptual themes that were generated from the analysis of the data regarding how clinicians p...
Source: Psychological Services - July 16, 2020 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Source Type: research
Utility of the Pain Medication Questionnaire to predict aberrant urine drug tests: Results from a longitudinal cohort study.
In conclusion, total PMQ score was not predictive of aberrant positive or negative UDT results. More work is needed to identify optimal strategies of screening for risk of aberrant UDT results. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved) (Source: Psychological Services)
Source: Psychological Services - July 16, 2020 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Source Type: research
“And now I know how you feel . . .”: Lived experience of surviving mental illness as a prosumer.
In this article, through a reflexive account, I present the ways the sudden onset of clinical depression in my own life brought me closer to the vulnerabilities (due to stigma around mental illness) as well as opportunities to contribute to the mental health of my clients as a prosumer. In delineating this process, I have also highlighted how my role as an active qualitative researcher of homeless mentally ill people in India during the episode of my clinical depression helped me reaffirm my identity as a therapist or an “enabler” who could empathize with and create a humanizing therapeutic space for my clients as well...
Source: Psychological Services - July 13, 2020 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Source Type: research
An intensive outpatient program with prolonged exposure for veterans with posttraumatic stress disorder: Retention, predictors, and patterns of change.
We examined trajectories of symptom change, mediating and moderating effects of a range of patient characteristics. Of the 80 veterans, 77 completed (96.3%) treatment and pre- and posttreatment measures. Self-reported PTSD (p (Source: Psychological Services)
Source: Psychological Services - July 13, 2020 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Source Type: research
Individualized behavioral change of externalizing and internalizing problems and predicting factors in residential youth care.
In conclusion, this study shows that with the current system of monitoring, more than half of the adolescents in residential care do not show significant change over time. This may indicate either that residential stay does not necessarily cause a significant change in problems for all adolescents, or that the system currently used for treatment monitoring is suboptimal in detecting such a change. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved) (Source: Psychological Services)
Source: Psychological Services - July 13, 2020 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Source Type: research
Racial and ethnic disparities in clinical outcomes six months after receiving a PTSD diagnosis in Veterans Health Administration.
Because the mental health burden of PTSD among many racial and ethnic minority veterans is greater than among non-Latinx Whites (NLW) and there are disparities in VHA mental health treatment, we evaluated variations in clinical outcomes across veteran racial and ethnic groups in a large national cohort diagnosed with PTSD in VHA. This was a planned secondary analysis of patient-reported outcomes from a large prospective cohort study of veterans with PTSD. Veterans were surveyed immediately following a PTSD diagnosis and again 6 months later. Changes in PTSD symptoms and mental health quality of life were modeled using init...
Source: Psychological Services - July 13, 2020 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Source Type: research
Contextualizing the road to recovery: A novel method of assessing outcome trajectories in clinical trials.
In this study, we examine qualitative analysis of clinical notes as a method to augment quantitative outcome measures and supply meaningful context in clinical trials. Two hundred eighty-four clinical progress notes from 19 participants with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder assigned to receive either auditory-targeted cognitive training or treatment as usual were included. Qualitative analysis of weekly progress notes written by clinicians involved in ongoing care of the participants was used to identify overall outcome trajectories and specific changes in program participation, social functioning, and symptom sev...
Source: Psychological Services - July 13, 2020 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Source Type: research
Brief report describing the integration of two psychotherapy evidence-based practices within coordinated specialty care services for early psychosis.
Individual psychotherapy is routinely offered within coordinated specialty care services for early psychosis. In the United States, 2 primary models have been implemented: cognitive-behavioral therapy for psychosis and individualized resiliency training. However, coordinated specialty care services have typically chosen between these approaches, thus limiting access to the unique aspects of each of the models, missing opportunities related to workforce development, and reducing consumer choice. Opportunities exist for integration of these 2 models. This brief report provides an overview of individualized resiliency trainin...
Source: Psychological Services - July 13, 2020 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Source Type: research
Trauma-informed care training with HIV and related community service workers: Short and long term effects on attitudes.
Although the experience of trauma is a widespread, global phenomenon, individuals living with HIV, who are two-spirit, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer+ (2SLGBTQ+), who use injection drugs, and/or who have marginalized status, are disproportionately affected (Harris & Fallot, 2006; Hopper, Bassuk, & Olivet, 2009; Seedat, 2012). The need for trauma competent service provision, meaning integrating psychoeducation about trauma, and knowledge of its prevalence, impact, and outcomes, is clear. Numerous HIV service and affiliated agencies in Ontario requested a Trauma-Informed Care workshop for their staff and voluntee...
Source: Psychological Services - July 2, 2020 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Source Type: research
The barriers and facilitators to serious mental illness: Recovery postincarceration.
Although there are effective treatments that promote recovery and improve quality of life for serious mental illness in nonincarcerated populations, more research is needed to understand the recovery process for individuals with a history of incarceration. A qualitative, grounded theory study was conducted with 17 men and women who have serious mental illness (SMI) and a history of incarceration. Findings revealed barriers and facilitators to the recovery process in the areas of identity, treatment, relationships, community, and institutions. The findings suggested that incarceration had harmful effects on the recovery pro...
Source: Psychological Services - June 18, 2020 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Source Type: research
