SWSD 2024

#0058 | Social work student education: The strengths and challenges of setting up a laboratory for experimenting with individual, couple and group intervention methods

Virginie Gargano ¹ ;

Gabrielle Fortin ¹ ;

Lisa Ellington ¹

1 - Université Laval.

[ver]

Resumen

In 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic brought about new socio-health standards that had a direct impact on the teaching and academic reality of university students. At Laval University, Quebec (Canada), almost all courses had to migrate to distance or asynchronous modalities. As a result, students enrolled in the Bachelor of Social Work program have expressed a need for face-to-face practical activities to consolidate their theoretical learning before their practicum. To address this concern, in May 2022, three professors at the School of Social Work and Criminology established a practical social intervention lab. The intervention lab, in which 25 students were enrolled, consisted of two days of training allowing them to experiment with individual, marital and group intervention. Six scenarios dealing with different social issues were tested and then performed by actors with a background in theater. The purpose of this poster presentation is to outline the process of developing and carrying out this laboratory, the objectives around which the pedagogical activities were based, and the means that facilitated their operationalization. For the students, the experimentation of the three intervention methods in an intensive formula allowed them to consolidate their learning, in addition to promoting the development of their confidence before entering the internship. In addition, this experience supported the acquisition of a better understanding of the complementarity of the methods, the transferability of certain skills and attitudes from one method to another and allowed the students to better understand the specificities of each method. Finally, the issues and recommendations related to the implementation of such an experience for the development of social work students' skills will be discussed.

Palabras Clave (separar con comas)

Social work, university, students, development, methodologies, laboratory

#0271 | Experiencias y retos de cuidadores de pacientes con la enfermedad de Alzheimer en el contexto de la Pandemia del COVID-19

Jorge Cruz Barreto ¹ ; Florencia Velazquez ²

1 - Universidad Interamericana de Puerto Rico. 2 - Universidad Interamericana de Puerto Rico.

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Resumen

Planteamiento del problemaLa pandemia del COVID-19 ha generado grandes transformaciones a nivel mundial, un sector que ha sido fuertemente impactado es el de las personas mayores de 65 años, particularmente los pacientes con diagnóstico de la enfermedad de Alzheimer. Según datos recopilados por el Registro de Alzheimer del Departamento de Salud, hasta el 31 de diciembre de 2019 en Puerto Rico había 20,910 casos reportados de pacientes con este trastorno, de los cuales más de la mitad (55.3%) tienen 85 años o más. PropósitoEl propósito de esta investigación es explorar, describir y comprender las experiencias de cuidadores informales de adultos mayores con diagnóstico de la enfermedad de Alzheimer en el contexto de la pandemia del COVID-19. Importancia del Problema de InvestigaciónLos cuidadores informales de pacientes con diagnóstico de Alzheimer experimentan serias dificultades físicas y emocionales ante el cuidado de sus familiares con este trastorno. Estos problemas se acentúan más ante la pandemia del COVID 19. En el caso de Puerto Rico, según el Departamento de Salud (2021) indicaron que 14,987 son los adultos mayores de 60 años en adelante que se han contagiado del Coronavirus.Marco ConceptualLa Teoría Ecológica y el Modelo Biopsicosocial. Diseño de InvestigaciónPara realizar el presente estudio, se utilizará una metodología cualitativa con un diseño fenomenológico. Descripción de la MuestraLa muestra del estudio estará constituida por un mínimo de 10 cuidadores informales de pacientes con diagnóstico de Alzheimer. La muestra será no probabilística por disponibilidadDescripción de los instrumentos para recopilar datosPara la recopilación de datos se llevará a cabo una entrevista semiestructurada. Análisis de DatosCon el fin de analizar los datos recopilados para la presente investigación se utilizará el Modelo de Harry F. Wolcott (1994), modelo DAI (Descripción, Análisis e Interpretación).

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Cuidadores informales/Persona Cuidadora Informal: López (2016) refiere que “es aquella persona encargada de ayudar en las necesidades básicas instrumentales de la vida diaria del paciente, durante la mayor parte del día, sin recibir retribución económica por ello, contribuyendo a que la persona dependiente se mantenga en su entorno social” (p.72).

#0374 | Social work educator views of the training and educational needs of student social workers in preparation for working with people affected by Acquired Brain Injury

Akudo Amadiegwu ¹ ; Caroline Bald ²

1 - Canterbury Christ Church University. 2 - University of Essex.

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#1503 | Caring for Caregivers of Children with Special Needs

Siti Nursila Senin ¹ ; Tina Viva Tan ¹ ;

Mavis Teo ¹

1 - KKH.

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Resumen

Background:The “Caring for Caregivers of Children with Special Needs” programme provides home-based counselling and respite care for the caregivers of children with nursing needs and/or behavioural challenges. The programme aims to reduce caregiver stress and increase caregiver well-being.\ As part of the enrolment process for the programme, potentially suitable caregivers were screened using the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9), a depression screening tool. Caregivers with scores that indicate risk of depression were enrolled into the programme on the basis that those struggling with mental health concerns would benefit most from the support provided by the programme.Results:Over a period of three years, a total of 110 caregivers considered at moderate to high risk of depression were enrolled into the programme. 75% of these caregivers reported an improvement in their PHQ-9 scores after receiving at least one session of counselling.\ Discussion:The social workers’ experiences with the caregivers portray a bigger picture than what is and can be captured by the PHQ-9. Even though the PHQ-9 generally has good reliability and validity, we found that there is a misalignment in the PHQ-9 scores and the social workers’ assessment. This could be due to reasons such as inaccurate self-reporting or the lack of suitability of the PHQ-9 as a screening tool. Since only caregivers with higher PHQ-9 scores are enrolled into the programme, other caregivers who would also have benefitted may have been missed out.While we have moved away from relying solely on the PHQ-9 as a screening tool, we seek more comprehensive and accurate ways of navigating the complexities of caregivers’ needs, especially within such a diverse caregiver population. Using observational and contextual data from social workers and direct feedback from caregivers, we reflect on how to better capture caregiver needs and enhance the screening process of the programme.\

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Caregivers, special needs, screening tool, mental health support\

#0409 | Guadalajara Ciudad Amigable con la Personas Mayores. Intercambio Intergeneracional “Árbol Milenario”

Leticia Guadalupe Romero Lima Romero ¹ ; Jose Luis Miranda ¹

1 - DIF Guadalajara.

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Resumen

El proyecto de los árboles milenarios surge en el marco del 1 de octubre, día internacional de las personas de edad, en el año 2022. En este contexto DIF Guadalajara a través del programa DIPAM (Desarrollo Integral de las Personas Adultas Mayores) por iniciativa de la que suscribe lanza un proyecto intergeneracional llamado “Árboles Milenarios”. Este proyecto se elabora con la participación de la Preparatoria No. 13 de la Universidad de Guadalajara, adultos mayores, sus nietos y personal del programa. Su diseño fue elaborado por José Luis Miranda, persona mayor usuaria, el cual se imprimió en una lona de 2X3 metros, donde la conformación del follaje surgiría de plasmar la mano de cada uno de los participantes, una vez terminado se montó en un bastidor y exhibido en el edificio del programa. El árbol cuenta con dos elementos principales: el tronco, significa la fuerza que es capaz de sostener y soportar. Las ramas y su follaje, conformadas por las manos mismas que representan las huellas de una persona, haciéndola única e irrepetible, donde se encuentra la línea de la vida. Las manos que trabajan, construyen, acarician, bendicen, y que juntan fuerza y unión para el servicio. Concluyendo que las personas mayores sostienen la convivencia entre generaciones. Al colocar la mano se pone la edad de cada participante, al concluir la suma de todas las manos, representa la edad del árbol, por eso se denomina milenarios. El árbol milenario que presento es de 8915 años, con la participación de 166 personas de las siguientes edades: 85 de más de 60 años, 11 niños, 27 jóvenes de la preparatoria No. 13, 44 personas entre 18 y 59 años. Cabe hacer mención que ya se cuenta con tres arboles milenarios en diferentes espacios.

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Intergeneracional, milenario, personas adultas mayores

#0563 | Infografías del proyecto de extensión docente de la Universidad de Costa Rica titulado: “Construyendo nuevas estrategias de crianza y vinculación: familias en procesos de cambio”.

Carolina María Navarro Bulgarelli ¹

1 - Escuela de Trabajo Social. Universidad de Costa Rica.

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Resumen

Del 2016 al 2021, la Escuela de Trabajo Social tuvo inscrito en la Vicerrectoría de Acción Social de la Universidad de Costa Rica un proyecto de extensión docente titulado: "Construyendo nuevas estrategias de crianza y vinculación: familias en procesos de cambio”. Este proyecto de extensión docente tenía el propósito de sostener procesos de atención terapeútica con familias referidas del: Patronato Nacional de la Infancia (PANI): ente rector de Niñez y Adolescencia en Costa Rica. Programa de Educación Abierta (PEA): proyecto de la Vicerrectoría de Acción Social y la Escuela de Trabajo Social de la Universidad de Costa Rica que impulsa que la población joven y adulta puedan concluir los procesos de Educación General Básica.Además, en este proyecto, en temas de familias, se realizaron: procesos de capacitación con profesionales de Trabajo Social del PANI y del PEA, actividades educativas con personas estudiantes, materiales educativos y varias publicaciones. Todas estas acciones se circunscriben en un posicionamiento crítico que concibe a las familias desde la pluralidad y diversidad. Particularmente, la pandemia, le implicó al equipo gestor del proyecto de extensión docente en mención reorientar ciertos procesos y es precisamente en ese marco que en articulación con el Programa de Educación Abierta de la Universidad de Costa Rica se construyen 4 infografías en el tema de las maternidades: La Maternidad a través del tiempoMaternidadesMaternidades y metas de vida ¿Es posible?Maternidades y Estudio. ¿Es posible concluir estudios de secundaria siendo una mujer adulta con hijos e hijas?Las infografías creadas son empleadas en el PEA con las poblaciones sujetas de atención. Se pretenden exponer dichas infografías en las zonas que se designen durante el evento. También se busca compartir las generalidades y alcances de este proyecto de extención docente con las personas participantes y aclarar los comentarios y consultas que tengan.

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#0576 | MUJERES, CONSUMO DE DROGAS Y TRAYECTORIA EN SERVICIOS SOCIALES

Gediane Laurett Neves Rangel ¹

1 - Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo.

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Resumen

Este trabajo tiene como objetivo reflexionar sobre la relación entre los servicios sociales y las mujeres usuarias de drogas durante y después del embarazo, verificando qué apoyo ofrecen estos servicios y cómo se articulan (o no) en la defensa de los derechos sociales de estas mujeres. Fueron analizados 17 casos de acogida de recién nacidos ocurridos en la Maternidad del Hospital Universitario Cassiano Antônio Moraes entre 2008 y 2017. Se trató de una investigación documental, en la que se analizaron las historias clínicas de las mujeres en la Maternidad, el sistema municipal de Salud, em el sistema Municipal de Asistencia Social, em las causas judiciales, así como información proporcionada por la Secretaría Municipal de Vivienda. El estudio mostró que de los 17 bebés acogidos, apenas um bebé fue reintegrado a su madre; 8 fueron encaminados para adopción y 8 fueron entregados a la familia extensa. Se verificó que las mujeres, durante y después de la pérdida de la custodia de sus hijos pasan por una serie de servicios y son conocidas por ellos, entre los que identificamos: Unidades de Salud, Centro de Atención Psicosocial, Clínica de Calle, Sala de Urgencias, Centro de Atención a la Población sin Hogar, Abordaje Social, Estancia Nocturna, Centros de Referencia de Asistencia Social, Centro de Referencia de Asistencia Social Especializada, además de programas de vivienda social. A pesar de ello, la mayoría de ellos nunca han recibido un seguimiento sistemático. Los datos muestran que la actuación de los servicios está orientada a la protección de los niños y destaca el abandono social y emocional al que son sometidas las madres. El Estado brasileño, al penalizar a las mujeres consumidoras de drogas con la pérdida de sus hijos, se exime de su responsabilidad de garantizar condiciones reales para que las mujeres permanezcan con sus hijos.

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Embarazo, consumo de drogas, servicios sociales

#0587 | Asset-based, strengths-forward, and globally-minded social justice educational framework to social work practice with refugees, asylum seekers, and displaced populations in the Americas

Derek Plantenga ¹ ;

Bonita Sharma ¹

1 - University of Texas at San Antonio.

[ver]

Resumen

For the first time in history, the number of individuals forcibly displaced worldwide exceeded 100 million in 2022, with over 1% of humanity displaced by violence, conflict, or persecution (UNHCR Mid-Year Trends Report, 2022). The Americas hosted 18.4 million or twenty percent of the global persons of concern in 2021; in 2021 alone, there were nearly 600,000 asylum seekers and refugees in Costa Rica, Mexico, and the United States, originating from El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras[1]. Since the U.S. is a frequent target destination for many of these displaced persons who are seeking safety or new life outside of their home country, with the most extensive refugee resettlement program in the world and over 245,200 asylum applications received in just the first half of 2022 (UNHCR Mid-Year Trends Report, 2022), social workers are increasingly engaging with them in their practice settings. Given the magnitude of the movement of people in the Americas and their specific regional geographical, cultural, socio-economic, racial, indigenous, and environmental challenges, along with the historical cross-border politics, it is critical that social work students in the U.S. become equipped with knowledge, skills, and an empathetic attitude in understanding the plight of refugees, asylees, and displaced persons from the Americas. This study proposes an educational framework that centers on an asset-based, strengths-forward, and globally-minded social justice approach to social work practice and will be piloted at the authors’ university. The implications include the development of a framework-based pilot social work course, available for any social work program with the objective of global perspective, cultural awareness, engagement, advocacy, and social and skill development to work with refugees, asylees, and displaced persons from the Americas.

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refugees, asylees, displaced persons, the Americas, educational framework, social work,

#0625 | "Because they recognized us": Triangulated perspectives of Syrian mothers' resettlement experiences in the Eastern United States.

Kayte Thomas ¹

1 - Baylor University.

[ver]

#0037 | Social Work in Palliative care day services in Quebec, Canada

Fortin Gabrielle ¹

1 - Université Laval.

[ver]

Resumen

Palliative care day services are complementary to institutional services and aim to improve the quality of life of ill people and their loved ones by offering them care and services in a holistic manner using a humanistic and community-based approach. In these services, social workers play a central role in accompanying people facing serious illness through individual, marital, family and group intervention. As part of a research project on innovative practices in five palliative care day services in Quebec, Canada, five social workers were interviewed to document their roles, practices, and most used approaches within these services, as well as to gather their perception of the effects of their support for patients and their families. An inductive analysis of the qualitative data was conducted following Thomas' (2006) method. The presentation will describe how the roles of support, facilitator and referral are actualized in the practice of social workers and will offer examples of the application of the main approaches advocated in their work, that are the systemic, strengths-based, narrative and empowerment approaches through the different intervention modalities possible in palliative day care services. The presentation will also illustrate how, through their accompaniment, social workers promote the empowerment of people in palliative care. The presentation will also highlight the particularities of intervention in palliative care day services where informal activities become a powerful lever for intervention in social work and where interdisciplinarity favors co-intervention to promote a real holistic approach for people. Finally, this presentation will also provide an opportunity to learn more about palliative day care services, which are places of welcome, socialization, recognition and demystification of the end-of-life, death, and bereavement by enabling people to come to terms with this final stage of life, while respecting their own rhythm.

Palabras Clave (separar con comas)

Palliative care, palliative care day services, community-based approach, individual intervention, family intervention, group intervention, demystification of the end-of-life

#0956 | Closing the Mental Health Treatment Gap through Social Work Field Education

Shahnaz Savani ¹ ;

Andrea Germany ² ;

Dana Smith ¹

1 - University of Houston-Downtown. 2 - Mississippi State University – Meridian.

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Resumen

Seventy-five to 90% of individuals affected by mental illness do not receive the treatment they need, largely due to the shortage of mental health professionals. Common Mental Disorders (CMDs) like depression and anxiety constitute a large part of the disease burden of mental illness and can be effectively treated with low cost, low resource psychosocial interventions delivered by trained paraprofessionals. Social Work Education can contribute to closing the treatment gap for mental illness by training their BSW students to deliver evidence-based interventions for CMDs during their field education experience and meet a critical need in their communities.\ Given the severe global shortage of “specialist mental health care providers” and the enormity of the need for mental health treatment, a viable solution to fill the mental health treatment gap is to move from reliance on highly trained mental health care providers to a system that will utilize paraprofessionals trained in evidence-based interventions.\ To this end, the World Health Organization (WHO) has initiated the Mental Health Global Action Program (mhGAP). The mhGAP was developed for scaling up services for mental, neurological, and substance use disorders (MNS) in low-income contexts. We are advocating for BSW students to be trained to provide evidence-based, non-specialist-delivered treatments for CMDs during their field education experience. In the US alone there were 61,907 students in BSW programs in 2020 (CSWE, 2021), and with each of these students completing 400 hours of fieldwork, the social work education community had access to 24,762,800 hours within that school year. Based on this average, and the estimate of one full time professional working 2,080 hours a year, schools of social work potentially have access to the equivalent of over 11,000 people across the country working full-time to provide psychosocial interventions as a front-line response to CMDs in a supervised and standardized environment.\ \

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Field Education, Mental Health, Treatment Gap, Scalability, Psychosocial Treatment\

#1059 | Enhancing Mental Health Outcomes for Korean Americans through Diversity-Centered Practices

Karen Kyeunghae Lee ¹ ;

Mikyong Kim-Goh ¹

1 - California State University, Fullerton.

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Resumen

Numerous studies have shown racial/ethnic disparities in mental health service utilization and an association between immigration factors and mental illness. However, interventions derived from predominantly non-Hispanic White samples may inadequately address the needs of non-White Americans, consequently exacerbating these disparities. This issue prompted the establishment of the California Reducing Disparities Project (CRDP). Through collaborative endeavors, CRDP aims to achieve mental health equity among five priority populations in California: African American, Latino, Native American, Asian and Pacific Islander, and LGBTQ+ communities.CRDP Phase I was dedicated to identifying the specific needs of these populations, while Phase II (2017-2022) sought to implement population-specific interventions. In the context of Phase II, the "Integrated Care Coordinators (ICC)" program was formulated for Asian and Pacific Islander communities, focusing on Korean and Vietnamese individuals. This program, designed to mitigate mental health disparities, provides culturally and linguistically competent navigation services in integrated health settings.This presentation delves into the CRDP project's origins and the outcomes achieved by the Korean ICC program. By illustrating diversity as a foundational value and practical principle in mental health, it accentuates the influence of collaborative social action on improving service quality and mental health outcomes for Korean Americans. Moreover, the presentation showcases quantitative analysis outcomes based on Korean ICC program participants (N=102), revealing statistically significant enhancements in psychological distress (t (97) = 6.98, p \\< .001) and functional outcomes (t (59) = 3.55, p = .001).Given the ongoing surge of hate violence directed towards Asian immigrants and the disproportionate consequences of the pandemic on ethnic minority populations, the significance of health and mental health practices that embody diversity, collaboration, and social action amongst academia, mental health professionals, and community-based organizations is more vital than ever. This presentation underscores these principles' significance in elevating marginalized communities' well-being.

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Diversity-centered practice, Korean Americans, mental health outcomes, collaboration and social action

#1287 | A Critical Exploration of Youth Suicide and Systems of Care: Parent and Caregiver Perspectives

Toula Kourgiantakis ¹ ;

Eunjung Lee ² ;

Shelley Craig ²

1 - Université Laval. 2 - University of Toronto.

[ver]

Resumen

Canadian youth have the highest rates of mental health (20%) and substance use (12%) concerns, and the most unmet mental health care needs. Parents of youth who die by suicide describe challenges finding appropriate youth\ mental health\ care, poor quality of care, and inadequate involvement in their youth’s treatment. For sexual and gender minority youth and Black Indigenous People of Colour, there are higher suicide risks associated with racism and discrimination. The aim of this study was to examine how parents caregivers describe systems of care that engaged with their youth prior to the suicide to improve service access, quality of\ mental health\ care, and reduce rates of suicide in youth. Participants were eligible to participate if they were a parent/caregiver of a youth under 26 who died by suicide in the last 5 years. Recruitment was through bereavement centres, and we conducted virtual semi-structured interviews. We analyzed data using thematic analysis. The sample included 17 participants (n=12 mothers, n=5 fathers), and we identified the following themes: (1) it is important to make youth voices heard, (2) there is a need to reduce stigma, (3) schools need to address bullying, (4) anti-racism policies are inconsistently applied, (5) suicidal youth are often too low risk for hospital and too high risk for community agencies, (6) there is a need for more compassionate care, (7) consent and privacy laws exclude caregivers who are usually the most important source of support, and (8) there is limited support for parents. Our study identified eight themes connected to bullying, racism, stigma, discrimination, quality of care in different systems, equitable access to services, family involvement, inequitable policies, and service gaps. These findings have implications for social workers who are one of the largest mental health professions in North America.

Palabras Clave (separar con comas)

Youth, suicide, parents, systems of care, social work

#0343 | Practice Developments and Practitioner Competencies for Single Session Therapy

Serge Nyirinkwaya ¹ ;

Monica Sesma-Vazquez ¹

1 - Faculty of Social Work, University of Calgary.

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Resumen

Background: The field of Single-Session Therapy (SST) is expanding rapidly, as more individuals, families, groups, and communities use one-at-a-time mental health services in different contexts all over the world. Previous research has documented empirical evidence of the efficacy and effectiveness of SST on clients’ outcomes but the framework for practitioner competencies that contribute to optimal SST outcomes has not been sufficiently covered. While single-session thinking has been taken up by social work practice in health settings and adapted into single-session social work, more exploration is needed to inform future social work health/mental health practice, education, and research.Purpose: With the rise of agencies and organizations including SST as a delivery service, more practitioners are in the need to use and implement this modality. However, there are very few courses or training opportunities that support practitioners to enhance their competencies in SST. In addition, little has been studied on competences required to effectively implement SST. The objective of this paper presentation is to describe and explain the SST practice developments and practitioners’ competences to inform social work education.Method: Review of relevant peer-reviewed and grey literature on SST developments including context, use and evidence for SST as well as key competences to implement SST. Results: SST has expanded in the last three decades to embrace different uses and contexts from psychotherapy, counseling, and family therapy to single social work practice with individuals, couples, and families. Evidence shows that SST is an effective and efficient service delivery model for various presenting concerns and diverse populations with no less effect than multiple session treatment. Key SST competence areas include client-centered skills and practitioner use of self.Conclusion: While there is evidence about SST efficacy, more studies are needed to examine practitioner’s competences in different contexts.

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Single-session therapy, competences, education, social work, mental health

#0349 | Exploring the Issue of Hoarding in Taiwanese Communities

Ya Ching Chang ¹ ;

Chin Fen Chang ²

1 - Instituto of Health and Welfare Policj,National. 2 - National Taipei University Department of Social Work.

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#0743 | Conceptualizations of Mental Health Stigma in Ghana

Micki Washburn ¹ ;

Robin Gearing ² ;

Doris Boateng ³ ; Rabiu Asante ³ ;

Kathryne Brewer ⁴ ; Sondra Fogel ⁵ ; Susan Robbins ⁶ ; Christian Carr ⁶

1 - University of Texas at Arlington. 2 - University of Houstob. 3 - University of Ghana. 4 - University of New Hampshire. 5 - University of South Florida. 6 - University of Houston.

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Resumen

As Ghana continues to develop into one of the most thriving democracies and economies on the continent of Africa, more attention has been paid to mental health concerns, particularly as mental health concerns are often a result of pressure to accumulate material wealth. \\ Stigma toward mental health concerns serves as a barrier to treatment in many parts of the developed world. \\ However, little is currently know about mental health related stigma in Ghana. \\ A convenience sample of 196 respondents was field recruited to participate in a survey about attitudes toward mental health. A randomized experimental vignette methodology was used to assess multiple domains of mental health stigma and their relationship to the sociodemographic characteristics of the vignette subject and respondents. \\ The symptoms experienced by the vignette subject (anxiety, depression or psychosis) and gender of the subject of the vignette (male or female experiencing the mental health concern) were varied to produce 6 variations of the experimental vignette. Multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) was used to analyze these data. \\ Results indicate that there were statistically significant associations between the gender of the vignette subject, his or her diagnosis, and the various domains of stigma. For example, an individual experiencing signs of psychosis was perceived as more dangerous than one experiencing depression or anxiety and respondents expressed a greater desire for social distance from women experiencing mental health concerns relative to men. Contrary to expectations, religiosity, urbanicity, cultural background and perceived etiology of the mental health condition were not predictive of stigma.\\ This work adds to our currently limited knowledge concerning mental health stigma in Ghana.\\

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Ghana, stigma, mental health, vignette

#0751 | Understanding the Complexity of Stigma in Latino Mental Health: Insights from Houston, TX, and Mexico City.

Kathryne Brewer ¹ ;

Micki Washburn ² ; Ryan Gibson ¹ ; Nikhil Tomar ¹ ; Natalia Giraldo-Santiago ³ ; Luis Hostos-Torres ⁴ ;

Robin Gearing ⁵

1 - University of New Hampshire. 2 - University of Texas at Arlington School of Social Work. 3 - Massachusetts General Hospital. 4 - University of Texas Rio Grande Valley. 5 - University of Houston Graduate College of Social Work.

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Resumen

Stigma towards mental health concerns can have a more negative impact on a person's well-being than the actual symptoms of their condition. Stigma acts as a significant barrier to accessing mental health services, particularly for racial and ethnic minorities. However, existing research often fails to recognize the cultural differences within these minority groups, such as Latino communities, and more studies are needed to understand and address the specific nuances of stigma within diverse cultural groups to reduce the mental healthcare gap among Latinos. This presentation will share findings from a study that examined the influence of cultural context on social distance and perceptions of stigma towards mental health conditions among Latino populations in Houston, TX, USA and Mexico City, Mexico. Utilizing a community-based vignette survey, we assessed 513 participants' perceptions of individuals demonstrating symptoms of alcohol misuse, depression, and psychosis, focusing on public acceptance, perceived stigma, anticipated threat, potential positive outcomes, and the capacity to change. The outcomes revealed a marked contrast in stigma perceptions between Latino respondents in the USA and Mexico, with those in Houston manifesting lower public stigma and perceived danger associated with mental health conditions than Mexico City's respondents. Notably, the cultural environment appeared to shape the relationship between various dimensions of stigma, leading to some inverse correlations depending on the location of participants. These results highlight the intricate relationship between cultural context, mental health symptoms, and stigma, emphasizing the need for culturally sensitive interventions to mitigate mental health stigma and encourage service utilization within Latino communities.\

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mental health, stigma, Latino, cultural context

#0445 | Metaphors as an expression of wellbeing and mental health: Insight from youth

Tara Collins ¹ ;

Dora Tam ¹ ;

Barbara Lee ² ;

Siu Ming Kwok ¹ ; Shauna Burke ³

1 - University of Calgary. 2 - University of British Columbia. 3 - Western University.

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Resumen

During the COVID-19 pandemic, approximately 51% of Canadian youth aged 12 to 18 reported experienced depression and 39% reported experiencing anxiety (Craig et al., 2023). To address such concerns, a Youth Mental Health Photovoice Project was developed by researchers in Canada to engage and co-create knowledge with youth (aged 12-17) regarding factors that impact their mental wellbeing and strategies for maintaining mental wellness. Each photovoice group involved 5 to 11 participants and two co-facilitators who attended six to seven 1.5-hour sessions. The youth had the option of using their cell phone or a digital camera provided by the team, or utilizing pictures they had already taken, to explore four photo themes: 1) their perception/understanding mental health and wellness; 2) challenges to youth mental health; 3) strategies to maintain mental wellness; and 4) community support for youth mental health. Twenty-five photo stories were developed as a group or by individual participants. Manifest coding was used for the data analysis. Findings suggested that participants often shared metaphors while discussing their photos and the themes. For example, one participant shared that "your mental health is a shadow that can reach every aspect of your life, from your school, personal relationship, your mental health can also impact your physical health." Another youth stated that mental health "means like the weather to me. Sometimes it can be good and sometimes it can be pretty bad too. It affects my daily life a lot, but I cannot control it." The photos and narratives from youth demonstrated a creative and insightful way to express mental health and strategies on how to foster wellbeing using metaphors. This presentation will explore the youth's use of metaphors to express their perceptions of mental health and wellbeing. Recommendations for practice, future photovoice projects, and research will be provided.

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photovoice, children and youth, mental wellbeing, mental health

#0600 | Resiliency to empowerment: a framework to understanding adolescents living with HIV in Uganda

Eusebius Small ¹ ;

Bonita Sharma ² ; Betty Tonui ³

1 - The University of Texas at Arlington. 2 - University of Texas at San Antonio. 3 - Oakland University.

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Resumen

It is estimated that over thirty-five million people around the world live with Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), and over 71% live in sub-Saharan Africa. Despite scientific gains in HIV prevention, Uganda is still one of the countries seriously affected by the HIV/AIDS epidemic. HIV is a highly stigmatized disease with social ridicule and discrimination, leading to depression, trauma, and severe mental health problems. Despite the scientific discoveries and knowledge, we know very little about pathways to resiliency and empowerment adolescents employ to manage the disease. Utilizing resilience theory, the study explored adolescents’ lived experiences and the processes of responding to adversity and building resilience after HIV diagnosis among youth ages 18 to 24 living with HIV in Uganda. We used a qualitative interpretive phenomenological approach (IPA) to collect data using semi-structured interviews with six focus groups (N=31) and analyze them using the grounded theory method. Participants included young men, women, men having sex with men (MSM), sex workers, and perinatally infected young people who receive services at a local private and government-run clinic. The findings indicate that adolescents living with HIV went through several pathways in their HIV experiences: from denial to despair, suicidal ideation, substance use, and developing resilience which were seldom linear. In this study, we present the framework of resilience to empowerment among youth with HIV and discuss the implications for researchers, healthcare providers, advocates, and policymakers to develop interventions to bolster individuals’ inherent determination to be better and overcome the social, physical, and health headwinds that stand in the way of those with HIV.

Palabras Clave (separar con comas)

Resiliency, empowerment, HIV/AIDS, Sub-Saharan Africa, Uganda

#0716 | Mental Health Pathways to care: Latinos' Help-Seeking Preferences in the United States

Robin Gearing ¹ ;

Micki Washburn ² ;

Kathryne Brewer ³ ; Miao Yu ² ; Alberto Cabrera ¹ ; Luois Torres ⁴

1 - University of Houston. 2 - University of Texas at Arlington. 3 - University of New Hampshire. 4 - University of Texas Rio Grande Valley.

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Resumen

Over 60 million Americans self-identify as Latinos, representing 18.5% of the total population. The Latino population will continue grow and comprise 27.5% of the United States (U.S.) population by 2069. As the largest minority population in the U.S., it is imperative for Latinos to access appropriate and comprehensive healthcare, including mental health treatment. Current research suggests Latinos have low regard for mental health services overall. This presentation details a research study that explores Latino’s treatment preferences and pathways to care when seeking assistance for mental health related concerns using data from a community-based survey of approximately 500 Latino adults on beliefs and attitudes about mental health and help-seeking. Results found that more than half of participants prefer to seek help through informal source of care (e.g., friends, family members, co-workers, religious leaders, faith healers) initially rather than formal mental health service providers (e.g., licensed health professionals, a hospital, clinic). Demographic characteristics of respondents and symptoms experienced by the person in need of help predicted preferences in preferred paths of help seeking.\ Implications are presented for increasing treatment engagement for Latinos with mental health concerns. The size and importance of this community make it critical for Latinos to seek mental health services when necessary. Furthermore, there is a great need for social and psychological support systems within our Latino communities. These supports can include targeted messaging campaigns aimed at helping the community increase their mental health literacy, their knowledge of treatment options, and their willingness to seek and engage in formal mental health care. Access, however, remains just as important. Policymakers must continue to expand access to health and mental health care. Moreover, professional organizations must endeavor to present positive portrayals of mental health services providers in Latino communities, and testimonials from Latino individuals who have found mental health services helpful.\

Palabras Clave (separar con comas)

Latino, Hispanic, mental health, addictions, help-seeking, attitude, formal care, informal care

#0718 | Understanding Predictors of help-seeking for mental health treatment in Mexico and among Latinos in the United States

Robin Gearing ¹ ;

Micki Washburn ² ; Katryne Brewer ³ ; Miao Yu ² ;

Arlene Bjugstad ¹ ; Pedro de la Cruz ⁴ ; Adelaide Garcia Andres ⁵ ; Luis Torres ⁶

1 - University of Houston. 2 - University of Texas at Arlington. 3 - University of New Hampshire. 4 - Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico Escuela. 5 - Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León. 6 - University of Texas Rio Grande Valley.

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Resumen

Most people in need of mental health services in Mexico and Latinos in the (United States) U.S. do not seek formal support or professional services to address their mental health needs. It is imperative for adults in Mexico and Latinos in the U.S. to access appropriate and comprehensive healthcare, including mental health treatment. Understanding help-seeking behaviors is crucial to addressing underutilized mental health services across these communities. This presentation will highlight data was collected as part of a larger research project on stigma and help-seeking for mental health related concerns in Mexico and in Latino Communities in the United States (U.S.). A sample of adults residing in Mexico City and of Latino adults in the U.S. participated in two studies using an experimental vignette methodology assessing stigma toward individuals with mental health conditions, along with characteristics and demographic correlates of help-seeking will be presented. All survey measures in Mexico and the U.S. were administered in Spanish. Structural regression was conducted for the outcome “openness to professional help seeking for mental health problems” as a latent variable. In Mexico, compared with males, females were more open to professional help seeking, as were people who endorsed higher spirituality; while people who experienced self-stigma were less open to professional help-seeking for mental health concerns. Whereas among US Latinos, openness towards seeking professional help for mental health concerns is influenced by participants’ age, marital status, gender, region of origin, education, public stigma, and self-stigma towards mental health problem. Adults in Mexico and Latinos within US communities continue to have low levels of mental health service utilization. Understanding the specific the nuanced differences with regard to the predicts help-seeking for mental health issues across communities is essential to promote early detection, entry into care, and outreach efforts.

Palabras Clave (separar con comas)

Latinos, Hispanics, Mexico, United States, mental health, help-seeking, service utilization,stigma

#0193 | Twisted fate: Progressive collaborations and contemporary best practices between social work and psychiatry

Tyler Arguello ¹ ;

Juan Carlos Arguello ²

1 - California State University, Sacramento. 2 - California Department of State Hospitals.

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#0361 | Exploring Intimacy and its Formation within Psychiatric Wards - A Discussion between Disability Studies and Relational Autonomy Theory

Ya Ching Chang ¹ ; Huan Wen Chen ²

1 - Institute of Health and Welfare Policy, National YangMing-ChiaoTung University, Taiwan. 2 - Institute of Public Health, National YangMing-ChiaoTung University, Taiwan.

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Resumen

The development of intimate relationships contributes to promoting mental health and are also a crucial aspect of a person's identity. However, within psychiatric wards, intimate relationships, and interpersonal interactions of individuals with mental disorders are often disregarded, posing multiple barriers to their support systems, reintegration into social life, and the path towards recovery. Such oversight may also contravene CRPD.The personal interactions, intimate relationships, and even sexual autonomy of individuals with mental disorders within the ward remain largely unexplored. There are no explicit regulations in Mental Health Act or hospital evaluations in Taiwan that address these aspects. The management approach towards intimate relationships relies solely on the regulations of individual institutions. Therefore, this study employs an in-depth qualitative approach to interview individuals with experience of staying in psychiatric wards and apply the framework of relational autonomy theory for analysis. This study also provides insights of the influences caused by the patients’ family, medical staffs and other close relations.\ This study reveals that individuals with mental disorders still have a need to develop intimate relationships. However, the illness itself and the attitudes of family members may hinder the development of such relationships. Moreover, various constraints within the ward impede the development of both inpatient and outpatient intimate relationships. These constraints include restrictions on communication, visitation, privacy, and the attitudes of staff members. It is necessary to establish clinical guidelines for psychological and physical intimacy in psychiatric wards.

Palabras Clave (separar con comas)

mental disorder, psychiatric wards, relational autonomy, CRPD, Mental Health Act

#0754 | Understanding Pathways to Mental Health Care in China: Findings from a Community Survey.

Kathryne Brewer ¹ ;

Shahnaz Savani ² ; Monit Cheung ³ ; Patrick Leung ³ ; L. Christian Carr ³ ; Ying Ma ³ ; Wanzhen Chen ⁴ ; Xuesong He ⁴ ;

Robin Gearing ³

1 - University of New Hampshire. 2 - University of Houston Downtown. 3 - University of Houston Graduate College of Social Work. 4 - East China University of Science and Technology.

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Resumen

The burden of mental illness in China is substantial, with a significant impact on individuals and society, both economically and socially. However, access to professional mental health care remains limited, particularly due to low mental health literacy, stigma, and a preference for informal treatment sources. While the Chinese government has sought to improve mental health services, there is a need to understand barriers and and attitudes towards seeking help to address the treatment gap and improve mental healthcare in China. This presentation shares findings from a community-based research study conducted in Shanghai, China that examined public attitudes and preferences for formal versus informal care and how these varied based on mental health diagnosis. A structural model showed that 69% of the respondents endorsed professional help. Male respondents had a lower endorsement rate for individuals diagnosed with substance use, compared to PTSD, suicide, or schizophrenia. Female respondents showed a higher endorsement rate on formal care for schizophrenia compared to PTSD or depression. A third (34%) of respondents endorsed engaging health care, whereas 46% of the respondents endorsed mental health care, with helping-seeking attitudes and age being significant covariates. These findings have important implications for mental health care in China. The study highlights the influence of gender and the type of diagnosis on attitudes toward formal care, with lower approval for substance use among males and higher endorsement for schizophrenia among females. Attitudes toward help-seeking are influenced by various factors, including age, education, and mental health literacy. It is crucial to address the barriers and stigma that hinder access to mental health care in China, particularly among certain demographic groups, and to promote positive attitudes toward seeking professional help.\

Palabras Clave (separar con comas)

mental health, stigma, pathways to care, service utilization, gender, China\

#1024 | Solution-Focused Brief Therapy in Community-Based Services: Practice Implications from a Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Studies

C ynthia Franklin ¹

1 - University of Texas at Austin.

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Resumen

Solution-focused brief therapy (SFBT) is a strengths-based, intervention that was developed by social workers in the early 1980s and is now practiced globally within school social work, mental health, child and family services, and other communities-based settings. This paper reports findings from a systematic review and meta-analyses that examined how effective the number and types of SFBT techniques are for outcomes, such as depression, anxiety, behavioral health, health, family functioning, and psychosocial outcomes.\ MethodOnly SFBT studies that contain participants of adolescents, adults, or families, conducted in community services, using an RCT design, focusing on any behavioral health, health, family functioning, or psychosocial outcomes were included. This study followed the Cochrane recommendations. Data analysis included 28 studies from 33 publications, where 340 effect sizes were calculated and included for meta-regression.Results:All studies were conducted in community services and included racialized and diverse clientele. Subgroup analysis for specific outcome domains revealed that SFBT was statistically significant with medium treatment effects for depression outcomes, g = 0.652, 95% CI: 0.146 – 1.116, p = 0.017, behavioral health function, g = 0.573, 95% CI: 0.216 – 0.930, p \< 0.01, family function,\ g = 0.615, 95% CI: 0.097 – 1.130, p = 0.026, and psychosocial adjustment, g = 0.410, 95% CI: 0.001 – 0.820, p = 0.049. Results show how to use of SFBT in practice by demonstrating that three or more techniques were needed to achieve results, and that it is more effective to use change techniques across different categories ( i.e.,collaborative relationships, strengths and resources, and future-orientation).ConclusionSFBT is an effective intervention in outpatient, community-based mental health for diverse adolescent and adult populations who have depression, behavioral health, and family functioning challenges, and in psychosocial adjustment. This study has practice implications for how to \ efficaciously practice SFBT in community services.\ \ \

Palabras Clave (separar con comas)

Social work practice, mental health, solution focused brief therapy\