Stacey L. Barrenger

Bio: Stacey L. Barrenger is an academic researcher from New York University. The author has contributed to research in topics: Mental health & Mental illness. The author has an hindex of 8, co-authored 28 publications receiving 266 citations. Previous affiliations of Stacey L. Barrenger include Northeast Ohio Medical University & University of Pennsylvania.

Examining the impact of mental illness and substance use on time till re-incarceration in a county jail.

Abstract: This paper examines the role that substance use and serious mental illness play in criminal justice recidivism by examining the time to return to jail for a cohort of people admitted to jail in 2003 (N = 16,434). These analyses found that people with serious mental illness alone experienced the longest time in the community before returning to jail and were found to have a risk of re-incarceration that did not differ significantly from individuals with no psychiatric or substance use diagnoses. People with co-occurring disorders had a risk of re-incarceration that was over 40 % higher than that of individuals with no diagnosis.

"You don't get no help": The role of community context in effectiveness of evidence-based treatments for people with mental illness leaving prison for high risk environments

Abstract: Community reentry interventions for persons with serious mental illness leaving prison have operated under the tenet that linkage to mental health services is a paramount priority to achieving successful reentry. However, these interventions have produced mixed outcomes, especially related to psychiatric or criminal recidivism. As mental health evidence–based treatments are applied to this population, other environmental or community-level factors such as social disadvantage and poverty may enable or suppress the effectiveness of such intervention models. Such factors need to be considered as possible impediments to the effectiveness of these interventions as perhaps demonstrated in trials with other populations. Explicitly addressing these factors may help improve outcomes in some cases. In others, the impact of the risk environment may be stronger than what could be overcome with clinically focused intervention.

Reincarceration Risk Among Men with Mental Illnesses Leaving Prison: A Risk Environment Analysis

Abstract: Reentry interventions for persons with mental illness leaving prison have consisted primarily of linkage to mental health services and have produced mixed results on psychiatric and criminal recidivism. These interventions primarily focus on intra-individual risk factors. However, social and environmental factors may also increase risk of reincarceration by constraining choices and pro-social opportunities for community reintegration upon release from prison. In order to add to the knowledge base on understanding reincarceration risk for men with mental illnesses leaving prison, we examined interpersonal and environmental factors that exposed men to heightened risk for reincarceration. As part of a larger study examining the effectiveness of Critical Time Intervention for men with mental illness leaving prison, in-depth interviews were conducted with 28 men within 6 months of release from prison. Policies and practices at local and state levels, community conditions, and interpersonal obligation and conflict were identified as increasing risk for reincarceration.

Examining the Relationship between Choice, Therapeutic Alliance and Outcomes in Mental Health Services.

Abstract: Background: Self-determination within mental health services is increasingly recognized as an ethical imperative, but we still know little about the impact of choice on outcomes among people with severe mental illnesses. This study examines whether choice predicts outcomes and whether this relationship is mediated by therapeutic alliance. Method: The study sample of 396 participants completed a survey measuring choice, therapeutic alliance, recovery, quality of life and functioning. Multivariate analyses examined choice as a predictor of outcomes, and Sobel tests assessed alliance as a mediator. Results: Choice variables predicted recovery, quality of life and perceived outcomes. Sobel tests indicated that the relationship between choice and outcome variables was mediated by therapeutic alliance. Implications: The study demonstrates that providing more choice and opportunities for collaboration within services does improve consumer outcomes. The results also show that collaboration is dependent on the quality of the relationship between the provider and consumer.

Constructing Grounded Theory: A Practical Guide through Qualitative Analysis

Abstract: การวจยเชงคณภาพ เปนเครองมอสำคญอยางหนงสำหรบทำความเขาใจสงคมและพฤตกรรมมนษย การวจยแบบการสรางทฤษฎจากขอมล กเปนหนงในหลายระเบยบวธการวจยเชงคณภาพทกำลงไดรบความสนใจ และเปนทนยมเพมสงขนเรอยๆ จากนกวชาการ และนกวจยในสาขาสงคมศาสตร และศาสตรอนๆ เชน พฤตกรรมศาสตร สงคมวทยา สาธารณสขศาสตร พยาบาลศาสตร จตวทยาสงคม ศกษาศาสตร รฐศาสตร และสารสนเทศศกษา ดงนน หนงสอเรอง “ConstructingGrounded Theory: A Practical Guide through Qualitative Analysis” หรอ “การสรางทฤษฎจากขอมล:แนวทางการปฏบตผานการวเคราะหเชงคณภาพ” จะชวยใหผอานมความรความเขาใจถงพฒนาการของปฏบตการวจยแบบสรางทฤษฎจากขอมล ตลอดจนแนวทาง และกระบวนการปฏบตการวจยอยางเปนระบบ จงเปนหนงสอทควรคาแกการอานโดยเฉพาะนกวจยรนใหม เพอเปนแนวทางในการนำความรความเขาใจไประยกตในงานวจยของตน อกทงนกวจยผเชยวชาญสามารถอานเพอขยายมโนทศนดานวจยใหกวางขวางขน

Gender and mental health.

Abstract: Men and women experience different kinds of mental health problems. While women exceed men in internalizing disorders such as depression and anxiety, men exhibit more externalizing disorders such as substance abuse and antisocial behavior, which are problematic for others. These differences also vary by race and social class: for example, African Americans possess better mental health and, thus, a smaller gender gap in psychiatric problems. What explains these differences? We concentrate on conceptions of gender and gender practices. Research on gender and mental health suggests that conceptions of masculinity and femininity affect major risk factors for internalizing and externalizing problems, including the stressors men and women are exposed to, the coping strategies they use, the social relationships they engage in, and the personal resources and vulnerabilities they develop. This chapter investigates explanations in these areas for gender differences both in general and by race and class.

Labeling and Stigma

Abstract: The chapter addresses the stigma associated with mental illnesses. It begins by summarizing the development of thinking about labeling and stigma over the past half century within the field of the sociology of mental health. This background leads to our consideration of recent advances in the conceptualization of stigma as we ask: What is stigma? How do different stigmatizing circumstances (mental illness, obesity, facial disfigurement) resemble and differ from one another? We also ask: Why do people stigmatize? In keeping with the Handbook’s emphasis on social class and socioeconomic status (SES), we introduce the concept of “stigma power” and apply this new concept to the questions of “What do people gain by stigmatizing others?” and “How is stigma power exercised?” Finally, we consider the steps people take to avoid, mitigate, or overcome stigma, drawing in particular on Thoits’ (Soc Psychol Q 74:6–28, 2011) theoretical statements about this issue. The conceptual growth that has taken place over time opens enormous possibilities for advancing the sociological understanding of mental illness stigma and by doing so helps to illuminate ways in which the effects of stigma might be mitigated.