International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health

Editorial

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4 pages, 222 KiB

Open AccessEditorial

International Perspectives on Mental Health Social Work: Second Edition

by Jim Campbell, Lisa Brophy and Gavin Davidson

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2024, 21(3), 336; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph21030336 - 13 Mar 2024

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Abstract

Writing this Editorial for our second collection of papers on “International Perspectives on Mental Health Social Work”, we reflected upon the content of our First Edition [...] Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Second Edition of International Perspectives on Mental Health Social Work)

Research

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14 pages, 349 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Exploring the Evidence for the Paradigms of Recovery and Social Work Converging in Mental Health Service Delivery Worldwide: Reflections from an Irish Case Study

by Calvin Swords and Stan Houston

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2023, 20(15), 6460; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20156460 - 27 Jul 2023

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Abstract

Recovery within mental health service delivery is no longer a new consideration in the Western world. However, it is well-documented how challenging its implementation and translation to practice and reality have been in contemporary mental health systems. In conjunction with this, mental health [...] Read more.

Recovery within mental health service delivery is no longer a new consideration in the Western world. However, it is well-documented how challenging its implementation and translation to practice and reality have been in contemporary mental health systems. In conjunction with this, mental health social work is continuously being challenged and debated in relation to its role, responsibilities, and identity in service delivery. This is largely the consequence of the continued dominance of the biomedical model in relation to service delivery. Yet, if we critically reflect on the philosophy and ethos of recovery, it becomes very clear that social work should be the key profession to lead the development and improvement of recovery-orientated services across the globe. To illustrate this argument, the authors first draw on empirical research undertaken by the lead author within the Republic of Ireland on how recovery is socially constructed within mental health service delivery. The key stakeholders involved in the Irish study included professionals, service users, family members, and policy influencers, with participants taking part in semi-structured interviews. Secondly, the authors reflect on some of the findings from this Irish study, presenting an argument for not only a more significant role for social work in an Irish mental health context but also making comparisons from an international perspective. This includes exploring the role of critical social work traditions for supporting services to move beyond a philosophy of recovery that has, to date, overlooked the intersectional injustices and inequalities faced by hard-to-reach populations. Finally, the authors conclude by providing some possibilities for how the paradigms of social work and recovery can and should continue to converge towards each other, opening a space for social work to become a more dominant perspective within mental health systems worldwide. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Second Edition of International Perspectives on Mental Health Social Work)

20 pages, 391 KiB

Open AccessArticle

A Market of Lived Experience—User Involvement and the Commodification of Personal Experiences of Mental Illness

by Erik Eriksson

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2023, 20(14), 6427; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20146427 - 22 Jul 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2100

Abstract

Working actively to engage service users in participatory practices is both a policy expectation and a moral imperative for mental health social workers in contemporary Western mental health care. Recent research suggests that such practices of service user involvement are becoming increasingly individualised [...] Read more.

Working actively to engage service users in participatory practices is both a policy expectation and a moral imperative for mental health social workers in contemporary Western mental health care. Recent research suggests that such practices of service user involvement are becoming increasingly individualised and driven by market logic. Based on an ethnographic study within a Swedish public psychiatric organisation, this article applies the concept of commodification to examine this trend. By showing how the practice of user involvement takes the form of a market where personal narratives and experiences of mental health problems are bought and sold as commodities, the analysis illuminates how market logic permeates the everyday practice of user involvement. One consequence of this commodification is that user organisations, as well as individual service users, are restricted in their role as independent actors pursuing their own agenda, and instead increasingly act on behalf of the public and as providers of personal experiences. While it is vital that service user perspectives are heard and recognised within mental health services, mental health social workers need to be aware of the risks of commodifying lived experience. When attention is directed to individual experiences and narratives, there is a risk that opportunities to advocate on behalf of the user collective as a whole and speak from a more principled and socio-political standpoint are lost. In addition, the commodification of personal experience tends to rationalise and privilege user narratives that conform to the dominant institutional logic of the mental health organisation, while excluding more uncomfortable and challenging voices, thereby undermining the ability of service users to raise critical issues that do not align with the interests of the mental health organisation. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Second Edition of International Perspectives on Mental Health Social Work)

13 pages, 324 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Digital Bytes Project: Digital Storytelling as a Tool for Challenging Stigma and Making Connections in a Forensic Mental Health Setting

by Caroline Lambert, Ronnie Egan, Shelley Turner, Miles Milton, Madeleine Khalu, Rishona Lobo and Julia Douglas

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2023, 20(13), 6268; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20136268 - 30 Jun 2023

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Abstract

This article reports on the findings of a study that explores the utility of digital storytelling as a narrative practice and learning tool for social work in an Australian secure forensic mental health hospital. The short digital stories, or Digital Bytes Project, centered [...] Read more.

This article reports on the findings of a study that explores the utility of digital storytelling as a narrative practice and learning tool for social work in an Australian secure forensic mental health hospital. The short digital stories, or Digital Bytes Project, centered on capturing the lived experience, hopes and perspectives of the hospital’s service users by giving voice to their experiences through digital technology. The project was collaboratively designed and co-delivered with social work students, hospital staff, and service users. It aimed to not only destigmatize people with lived experiences of mental distress and criminal justice system involvement but also to give staff and students further insights into understanding who they are working with. Through a series of 11 semi-structured, one on one interviews, this research aims to explore social work student and forensic mental health staff experiences and perceptions in relation to the utility and impact of these digital bytes, reflecting on how the prototype bytes may have impacted their learnings, or practice, including how they then interact with service users. This research investigates how these digital bytes could be used further within forensic mental health organisations and contexts. The research findings demonstrate the overall value of digital bytes in challenging different kinds of stigma, shifting power dynamics and staff perspectives; strengthening rapport and understanding through enhancing engagement and sharing power between students, staff, and consumers; as well as providing insight into the utility of digital bytes for learning and making connections between theory and practice. The preliminary findings from this research suggest the need for greater accessibility, integration, and consideration of these digital tools, with their potential to be translated across multiple human service sectors. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Second Edition of International Perspectives on Mental Health Social Work)

14 pages, 919 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Towards a “New Mothering” Practice? The Life Experiences of Mothers Raising a Child with Autism in Urban Ethiopia

by Rahel Fentahun Asmare, Fasil Nigussie Taye, Messay Gebremariam Kotecho, Faye Mishna and Cheryl Regehr

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2023, 20(7), 5333; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20075333 - 30 Mar 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2527

Abstract

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a complex neurological and developmental disorder that has seen an increase in prevalence over the past two decades, particularly in low and middle-income countries. The purpose of the current paper is to examine the experiences of mothers in [...] Read more.

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a complex neurological and developmental disorder that has seen an increase in prevalence over the past two decades, particularly in low and middle-income countries. The purpose of the current paper is to examine the experiences of mothers in Ethiopia raising a child with ASD through employing a qualitative research design involving semi-structured interviews with twenty mothers. The experiences of mothers in this study fell into three thematic areas: (1) grieving and experiencing other emotions arising from the diagnosis of their child; (2) developing, understanding and defining autism; and (3) accepting the diagnosis and developing coping strategies for raising their child. The findings revealed that raising a child with autism introduced a new lifelong experience to mothers’ everyday lives, profoundly changing their parenting role and transforming their view of mothering. Recognition of the experience of “new mothering” and mothers’ meaning-making process, stress, coping mechanisms and resilience is critical to informing policies, programs, counseling and other therapeutic efforts to assist children with autism and their families for social workers in Ethiopia and those working with the Ethiopian diaspora in other regions of the world. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Second Edition of International Perspectives on Mental Health Social Work)

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Review

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18 pages, 572 KiB

Open AccessReview

The United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and Social Work: Evidence for Impact?

by Pearse McCusker, Lauren Gillespie, Gavin Davidson, Sarah Vicary and Kevin Stone

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2023, 20(20), 6927; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20206927 - 16 Oct 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1656

Abstract

The United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (hereafter CRPD) has provided a radical imperative for the reform of mental health and capacity legislation around the world. The interpretation of the CRPD has been controversial, ranging from the complete abolition [...] Read more.

The United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (hereafter CRPD) has provided a radical imperative for the reform of mental health and capacity legislation around the world. The interpretation of the CRPD has been controversial, ranging from the complete abolition of detention, forcible treatment, and substitute decision-making to accepting that elements of these measures need to be retained based on non-discriminatory criteria, additional safeguards, and a comprehensive shift towards supported decision-making. While the potential effects of the CRPD on mental health social work and social work generally are considerable given their shared commitment towards social justice, to date there has been no review of research evidence exploring their relationship. In addressing this knowledge gap, this study held a preliminary discussion with practitioners and academics at the European Association of Social Work Mental Health Special Interest Group in Amsterdam 2022, followed by a scoping literature review on the question: What impact, if any, has the CRPD had on social work practice? The review produced four main findings: impact on legislation; positive impact on practice; limited impact on practice; and impact on social work education and research. In sum, while there were some positive indications of social work and mental health social work practice being influenced by the CRPD, these were scant. Barriers to change included tendencies among some social workers to practise substitute decision-making, in part related to resourcing and policy contexts, and understandings of disability aligned to individualised/medical rather than social perspectives. The results indicate that legal reform on its own is insufficient to impact social work practice, and that realising the potential of the CRPD will necessitate good quality training, as well as improving social workers’ knowledge of the human rights of people with mental impairment. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Second Edition of International Perspectives on Mental Health Social Work)

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16 pages, 944 KiB

Open AccessReview

The Professional Identity of Social Workers in Mental Health Services: A Scoping Review

by Harry Bark, Jeremy Dixon and Judy Laing

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2023, 20(11), 5947; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20115947 - 25 May 2023

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 4746

Abstract

Recent research into the role of mental health social work has identified a need for increased critical engagement with accounts of professional role and identity. Notably, a number of studies have found that social workers struggle to articulate their role within mental health [...] Read more.

Recent research into the role of mental health social work has identified a need for increased critical engagement with accounts of professional role and identity. Notably, a number of studies have found that social workers struggle to articulate their role within mental health teams and services. This study aimed to identify the ways in which social workers in mental health settings defined their professional identity and role. An international scoping review utilizing Arksey and O’Malley’s method was conducted, identifying 35 papers published between 1997 and 2022. A thematic analysis grouped the findings into three predominant themes: (i) distinct social work approaches to mental health, (ii) organizational negotiations for mental health social workers, and (iii) professional negotiations for mental health social workers. These thematic findings are discussed in relation to existing research and critical perspectives, with particular emphasis on accounts of the bureaucratic and ideological functioning of professionalism in mental health services, as well as the global direction of mental health policy. This review finds that mental health social work embodies a coherent identity that aligns with international mental health policy agendas but faces significant challenges in developing and expressing this identity within mental health services. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Second Edition of International Perspectives on Mental Health Social Work)

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Other

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13 pages, 336 KiB

Open AccessEssay

Reconciling a Broken Heritage: Developing Mental Health Social Work in Guyana

by Coya Halley and Stephen Cowden

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2023, 20(20), 6931; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20206931 - 17 Oct 2023

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Abstract

Guyana’s colonial past has left a trail of economic instability, racial polarization, and physical and mental trauma. Despite the progress made since Guyana’s independence in 1966, the remnants of this colonial past continue to shape present-day Guyana. As a result, violence and trauma [...] Read more.

Guyana’s colonial past has left a trail of economic instability, racial polarization, and physical and mental trauma. Despite the progress made since Guyana’s independence in 1966, the remnants of this colonial past continue to shape present-day Guyana. As a result, violence and trauma continue to impact the mental health of the population. This is manifest in endemic problems of domestic violence and racialized social divisions which have created the conditions for rates of suicide which are amongst the highest in the world. The formal mental health provision which exists in Guyana is based primarily on an individualized and largely biomedical model of care. Despite valuable attempts to develop this provision, the difficulty of physically accessing this for some people and the stigma which surround this means that the capacity of this system to address the serious problems which exist is limited. It is also the case that in times of emotional and psychic distress, and in the context of Guyana being a very religious country, many people turn to traditional supernatural healers and remedies for support. In this paper, we discuss what is known as “Obeah”, noting that while this is widely practiced, it remains something of a taboo subject in Guyana. We consider the reasons why these practices and beliefs continue to be influential. However, what neither these biomedical or supernatural perceptions of mental health are able to address is the sociogenic nature of Guyana’s mental health issues, which we argue emerges out of the historic trauma of Guyana’s experience of colonialism and the violence which it engendered. We argue that profound forms of mental distress which exist in Guyana call for an integrative and holistic practice model that contextualizes these problems through a sociogenic lens. Social workers, working collaboratively with other health-related professions, can occupy a critical role in integrating these different conceptions through developing a rights-based model of mental health where the causes of mental ill-health are understood as socially determined. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Second Edition of International Perspectives on Mental Health Social Work)

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