Showing papers on "Mental health published in 1977"

Adaptation to Life

Abstract: * Preface, 1995 * Cast of Protagonists * Part 1: The Study of Mental Health: Methods and Illustrations * Introduction *1. Mental Health *2. The Men of the Grant Study *3. How They Were Studied *4. Health Redefined--The Joyful Expression of Sex and of Anger * Part 2: Basic Styles of Adaptation *5. Adaptive Ego Mechanisms--A Hierarchy *6. Sublimation *7. Suppression, Anticipation, Altruism, and Humor *8. The Neurotic Defenses *9. The Immature Defenses * Part 3: Developmental Consequences of Adaptation *10. The Adult Life Cycle--In One Culture *11. Paths into Health *12. Successful Adjustment *13. The Child Is Father to the Man *14. Friends, Wives, and Children * Part 4: Conclusions *15. The Maturing Ego *16. What Is Mental Health--A Reprise *17. A Summary * References Cited * Appendix A: A Glossary of Defenses * Appendix B: The Interview Schedule * Appendix C: The Rating Scales

Cognitive Therapy of Substance Abuse

Abstract: 'Cognitive Therapy of Substance Abuse' was written in response to the ever-growing need to formulate and test cost-effective treatments for substance abuse disorders. Representing a major advance for meeting this pressing need, cognitive therapy offers a well-documented and demonstrably efficacious psychosocial treatment model. Emanating from the research and practical experience of Aaron T. Beck and his colleagues, this book demonstrates how cognitive therapy can be easily replicated by therapists and counselors alike. This volume concentrates on clinical procedures in a way that is both teachable and testable. An ideal treatment manual that can be utilized independently, or in conjunction with psychopharmacological or 12-step programs, [this book] will be valued by all mental health practitioners who work with substance abusers, regardless of their orientation or the extent of their previous experience with either cognitive therapy or substance abuse.

A tripartite model of mental health and therapeutic outcomes. With special reference to negative effects in psychotherapy.

Abstract: Since a judgment of "worse" is always made in relation to a standard, which presupposes a definition of "better," it is clear that the problem of what constitutes a negative effect is inextricably interwoven with a definition of mental health. Any form of psychotherapy or behavior modification is designed to move the patient toward a particular ideal or norm; the techniques used in a given form of therapy are instruments for accomplishing that purpose. Only by considering multiple perspectives will it be possible to derive a comprehensive definition of mental health and meaningful evaluations of psychotherapy outcomes. Consider the following: If, following psychotherapy, a patient manifests increased self-assertion coupled with abrasiveness, is this a good or a poor therapy outcome? If, as a result of therapy, a patient obtains a divorce, is this to be regarded as a desirable or an undesirable change? A patient may turn from homosexuality to heterosexuality or he may become more accepting of either; an ambitious, striving person may abandon pre-

Psychological deficit in schizophrenia.

Abstract: Here a distinguished psychologist sums up over thirty years' research on schizophrenia. This was the Second Stanley R. Dean Research Award Lecture, presented May 2, 1963, under the auspices of the Mental Health Research Institute, The University of Michigan.

Barriers to Effective Cross-Cultural Counseling

Abstract: Many mental health professionals have noted that racial and ethnic factors may act as impediments to counseling. Misunderstandings that arise from cultural variations in verbal and nonverbal communication may lead to alienation and/or an inability to develop trust and rapport, An analysis of the generic characteristics of counseling reveals three variables that interact in such a way as to seriously hinder counseling with third-world groups: (a) language variables—use of standard English and verbal communication; (b) class-bound values —strict adherence to time schedules, ambiguity, and seeking long-range solutions; (c) culture-bound values — individual centered, verbal/emotional/behavioral expressiveness, client to counselor communication, openness and intimacy, cause-effect orientation, and mental and physical well-being distinction. These generic characteristics are contrasted with value systems of various ethnic groups. Implications for counseling are explored

Family structure and the mental health of children. Concurrent and longitudinal community-wide studies.

Abstract: • This study provides a map of variations of families and some of the core relationships between types of family and the mental health of children. Family types in a poor, black urban community were defined in terms of the adults present at home. The resulting taxonomy is based on two populations: half of the community's 1964 first-grade children and families and the entire 1966 first-grade children and families. Eighty-six family types were found, falling into ten major classes. Family type was found to be strongly related over time to the child's social adaptational status (SAS) and his or her psychological wellbeing. The results suggest that (1) mother alone families entail the highest risk in terms of social maladaptation and psychological well-being of the child; (2) the presence of certain second adults has important ameliorative functions—mother/grandmother families being nearly as effective as mother/father families, with mother/stepfather families similar to mother alone in regard to risk; and (3) the absence of the father was less important than the aloneness of the mother in relation to risk.

Response Bias in Surveys of Mental Health: An Empirical Investigation

Abstract: A substantial body of literature indicates that (1) the tendency to yeasay or naysay, (2) the perception of the desirability or undesirability of a given trai, and (3) the need for social approval have a significant and independent impact on the statements made by respondents in surveys Most investigatiors concerned with response bias appear to believe that these response bias variables act as a form of systematic bias which significantly distorts the relationship observed between an independent and a dependent variable However, while the literature indicates such a distortion may occur, this has not been demonstrated Drawing on the data from a national survey, we look at the effect of these three forms of response bias on the pattern of relationships among seven demographic variables (sex, race, education, income, age, marital status, and occupation) and three very different indicators of mental health (psychiatric symptons, self-esteem, and feelings of positive affect) The results lead to an almost

Migration, culture and mental health.

Abstract: The former belief that immigrants always suffer from an excess of mental disorder is no longer valid, and the old rivalry between social selection and social causation hypotheses has lost much of its relevance. The mental health of a migrant group is determined by factors relating to the society of origin, factors relating to the migration itself, and factors operating in the society of resettlement; and all three sets need to be considered if one seeks to reduce or merely to understand the level of mental disorder in any immigrant group. Illustrations from each set of factors are presented, with indications of whether they appear to have general relevance or be related to specific mental disorders.

The pathways into psychiatric treatment: some differences between men and women.

Abstract: In this report we test several hypotheses on the different pathways through which ment and women enter psychiatric treatment: women in treatment should have been more likely than men to recognize perceived psychiatric problems, to discuss these problems with other people, and to enter treatment voluntarily. Data from interviews with 120 patients at a community mental health center are consistent with each hypothesis. Several implications of the findings for theories of help-seeking behavior and social control are discussed.

Disease and Mobility: A Neglected Factor in Epidemiology

Abstract: There is much historical evidence of the spread of disease through human mobility. Today in spite of medical advances and international health measures there is still much cause for concern. There is now more mobility, facilitated by modern transport and sometimes precipitated by major natural and man-made disasters. Redistribution of population is occuring in the developing world, particularly massive rural-urban movements. Population mobility has contributed to the transmission of malaria and prejudiced programmes for control and eradication; but mobility and other human factors have not been adequately studied. Parasites and vectors receive more attention than do people. Epidemiological studies need to pay greater attention to the nature and variety of population movements and to their differing impacts upon disease and health. It is essential to distinguish between migration (involving change of residence) and circulation (movement away from residence with sebsequent return). In tropical Africa various spatial and temporal dimensions can be applied to differentiate within these two major categories of mobility. In turn there are various associated physical and psychological health hazards.

Social Networks and Pathways to Psychiatric Treatment

Abstract: Cultural interpretations have dominated the study of class differences in entering psychiatric treatment. This study compares the power of cultural variables and structural variables to predict the entry into psychiatric treatment. The concept of the social network is used to show that structural relationships, in addition to the culture of the different social classes, are important predictors of psychiatric labels and referrals, severity of symptoms, and duration of symptoms in the community. Interviews with 120 outpatients and short-term inpatients at a community mental health center provide the data for the study. The findings support the hypothesis that structural variables are important determinants of the pathways into psychiatric treatment and point to the need to link the structure of social networks to the content of networks. Studies of psychiatric help-seeking have emphasized the cultural forces predisposing individuals to enter psychiatric treatment. Sociologists have paid particular attention to the attitudes, knowledge, and verbal skills of persons of various social class backgrounds (Dohrenwend and Chin-Song; Gove and Howell; Hollingshead and Redlich; Myers and Roberts). For example, middle-class persons have more favorable attitudes toward psychiatry and greater knowledge to correctly identify psychiatric disorders than lower-class people, leading them to enter psychiatric treatment with less severe problems and in shorter periods of time (Gove and Howell). In addition, the greater intellectual sophistication of the middle and upper classes makes them more likely to initiate hospitalization themselves while the lack of such sophistication among the lower classes makes social control agents more likely to initiate hospitalization (Gove and Howell). The primary causal factor in these studies has been different cultural attitudes -how they lead to different behavior patterns in psychiatric help-seeking. Recently, researchers have questioned this preoccupation with cultural forces and have used structural patterns of interaction to predict

Aging and mental health: Positive psychosocial approaches

Abstract: This new resource represents the first Canadian publication in the field of gerontological nursing. The author focuses on the healthy elderly in the community as well as primary health care, health promotion, and the role of the family. Current Canadian demographic data on the elderly along with relevant, up-to-date statistics make this book an invaluable source for the study of aging.

Controlled study of child health supervision: behavioral results.

Abstract: Extensive child health supervision, with emphasis on counseling and anticipatory guidance, was provided for the first three years of life to an experimental series of 47 normal first-born black infants from low-income families living in the environs of Children9s Hospital in Washington, D.C. The mothers were unmarried schoolgirls in normal physical and mental health. A control series consisted of 48 similar mother-child dyads from the same area. Data were collected, in part by an outside evaluator, at yearly intervals on both experimental and control series in a form suitable for coding on computer cards. Comparison of differences in behavioral results between the two series showed statistically significant findings in favor of the experimental children, as well as numerous favorable trends during the first six years of life. Positive effects became evident in diet and eating habits, in some developmental problems of growing up (such as toilet training), and in certain abstract qualities including self-confidence. Significant differences were also noted between the experimental and control mothers for various child rearing practices and personality characteristics. No significant difference or trend favored the control series. We believe that a causal relationship existed between the intervention amid at least some of the significant findings.

Behaviour problems in pre-school children: family and social factors.

Abstract: In a group of 99 three-year-old children with behaviour problems identified in an epidemiological survey, family and social factors were compared with those in a group of controls. Behaviour problems were significantly associated with a strained marital relationship between parents, with social stresses and with type of housing. There was a high rate of maternal depression in both problem and control groups. The interaction between a behaviour problem in a young child, maternal mental health and social factors is discussed.

Noise, discomfort and mental health. A review of the socio-medical implications of disturbance by noise.

Abstract: The published work relating to the effects of noise on man and animals is reviewed from the standpoint of mental health. Evidence from a number of different disciplines shows that the presence of meaning in the noise is of critical importance in determining the persistence of physical reactions to the noise. The existing evidence linking noise with mental illness is found to be unsatisfactory. The concept of annoyance and the relevance of noise annoyance to mental illness are discussed. Some specific suggestions for further work are put forward.

Children of Imprisoned Fathers

Abstract: John Bowlby's influential 1951 World Health Organization monograph, Maternal Care and Mental Health, pointed to a causal relationship between loss of maternal care and disturbed personality development, and had a profound effect on psychiatrists' thinking about antisocial behavior in particular, and character formation in general. More recently, psychiatric investigators have been increasingly interested in the effects of a child separation from his father. This has been stimulated by sociological concerns for one-parent, fatherless families (Adams, 1973) and by our realizing how historically neglected has been the paternal role in theories of child development. Herzog and Sudia (1971) have recently compiled an extensive bibliography of the fatherless family. Numerous clinical studies of loss of the father, through death (Nagera, 1970; Wolfenstein, 1966; Bonnard, 1964), suicide (Cain and Fast 1966), divorce (McDermott, 1970), military service (Crumley and Blumenthal, 1973), occupations (Rosenfeld et al., 1973), desertion (Thomes, 1968), and mental hospitalization (Schiff, 1965), have all reported various adverse effects, particularly on male children. It has been difficult, however, to sort out the effects of the loss itself from more general prevailing and prior family relationships. My interest in this subject was quickened when I began to see boys brought to a neighborhood clinic for aggressive and antisocial behavior soon after their fathers were imprisoned. I was impressed by the lack of reports in the literature on this form of father separation. I am presenting here my clinical observations of six families seen over a three-year period as part of a general child psychiatric experience at a comprehensive neighborhood health center sponsored by the Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston. Although there are obvious selection biases that limit generalization when families referred to psychiatrists are the only source of information, it seems a useful place to begin an examination of the consequences for children of father-separation as a result of imprisonment. Language: en

Reentry: living with childhood cancer.

Abstract: The reentry process for the pediatric cancer patient involves returning to family, friends, and community while still undergoing rigorous medical treatment. This paper discusses the role of the mental health professional in helping child, parents, and siblings manage outpatient care, emphasizing resumption of normal activities and productive patterns of coping.

Problems of Southeast Asian children in a refugee camp.

Abstract: The authors describe the efforts made to meet the mental health needs of Vietnamese children and their families in a large refugee camp Many of the children received strong emotional support from the multigenerational Vietnamese families, and they adapted well to the new environment However, children separated from their families demonstrated increased emotional vulnerability, and foster placement of children without families presented a serious problem The authors suggest that our national commitment to these refugees may have ended when they left the confines of the refugee camp

Rational Emotive Education.

Abstract: William Knaus Fort Lee Consultation Center Fort Lee, New Jersey T he cummulative effects of technological, economic, political and moral change have made the task of teaching increasingly complex. Both the school and the educator are forced to modify traditional roles and methods in order to maintain contact with today's students. It is essential that educators mobilize to meet new challenges through the development and implementation of strategies aimed at harmonizing traditional and humanistic principles in education. Our goals now include not only teaching youngsters basic skills but, also, how to learn and how to cope more effectively in a progressively more sophisticated and demanding environment. Teaching children how to cope with the stresses of modern living is a valuable educational objective. Unfortunately, due to severe personnel shortages in the mental health field, the gap between available service and need is great. Consequently, many psychologists and educators have sought to develop mental health programs that help prevent emotional/ behavioral disturbance which can be utilized in the school setting. The goal is to foster psychological growth by teaching skills that enable youngsters to more effectively and objectively deal with personal problems.

Occupational incidence rates of mental health disorders.

Abstract: This study attempted to provide occupational health professionals with an empirical basis for identifying and selecting specific occupations for further research into the relationship between job stress and worker health. Specifically, this involved an examination of the admission records of community mental health centers throughout one state (Tennessee) to determine the incidence rate of diagnosed mental health disorders for 130 major occupations (i.e., occupations employing 1.000 or more workers in the state). These occupations were then rank-ordered by incidence rate to provide a general scheme for evaluating the relative frequency of mental health disorders among the select occupations. The results indicated a disproportionate incidence of mental health anomalies among the hospital/health care professions. Some tentative explanations of this finding are presented, and suggestions are made for future research efforts

The Health Status of Foster Children.

Abstract: A study of the health care and needs of foster children in the New York City area indicated a prevalence of serious physical, mental and developmental problems. The level of pathology was roughly comparable to that of other disadvantaged child populations.