ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: Psychotic experiences, such as hearing voices that others do not hear, being afraid of threats that others do not perceive, or believing in ideas that others find implausible can be confusing for those who face them and challenging to relate to for those who do not, leading to alienation and social exclusion. The objective of this article is to discuss how immersion in theater can enhance our understanding of human nature and facilitate a social environment that supports the recovery of individuals with psychosis. METHODS: Drawing on theories of the psychology of art and narrative psychology, this conceptual article discusses a theatrical production, a play, titled "Voices," created by a person with lived experience of voice hearing. We apply Semenov's model of art as a social psychological system as a guiding framework to focus on the roles of the art product, artist-author, artist-performer, and recipient. RESULTS: Theater is a uniquely reciprocal art form where actors and spectators share emotional, intellectual, and cathartic experiences, which could foster interpersonal connection, personal growth, and empathy. This article brings new perspective on how theater can elucidate psychotic experiences, encourage dialogue about these experiences, and facilitate social integration and recovery of individuals living with psychosis. CONCLUSION AND IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: Theater can promote social change, making space for a wider range of perspectives in society. Engaging individuals with lived experiences of psychosis in theatrical productions could lead to new insights about and acceptance of psychotic experiences, both for these individuals and for society at large. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).
Subject(s)
Psychotic Disorders , Voice , Humans , Psychotic Disorders/psychology , Social Isolation , Emotions , Social Change , Hallucinations/psychologyABSTRACT
Despite the recognized importance of mental health concerns among youth in the child welfare population, data suggest a significant gap between children who need services and children who receive services. This paper aims to address this problem by focusing on the ways in which the system identifies--or fails to identify--children as needing mental health services. The paper reviews current guidelines, policies, and practices for mental health screening and assessment of youth in child welfare including available evidence-based screening instruments that have been evaluated in child welfare or other settings. It is concluded that the use of evidence-based screening and assessment instruments will improve the identification of children needing mental health services and offer the opportunity to provide appropriate care to children who are currently being overlooked.
Subject(s)
Foster Home Care , Mass Screening/methods , Mental Disorders/prevention & control , Psychological Tests , Adolescent , Child , Child, Preschool , Evidence-Based Medicine , Humans , Reproducibility of Results , Sensitivity and Specificity , United StatesABSTRACT
The Best Practices for Mental Health in Child Welfare Consensus Conference focused on developing guidelines in five key areas (screening and assessment, psychosocial interventions, psychopharmacologic treatment, parent engagement, and youth empowerment) related to children's mental health. This paper provides an overview of issues related to the first three areas, presents the guidelines developed in these areas, and discusses the implications these guidelines have for the field of child welfare.
Subject(s)
Child Abuse/rehabilitation , Foster Home Care , Mental Disorders/therapy , Adolescent , Child , Child Abuse/psychology , Humans , Mass Screening , Mental Disorders/diagnosis , Mental Disorders/prevention & control , Psychotropic Drugs/therapeutic use , Social Work/education , Social Work/methods , United StatesABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To investigate the feasibility of establishing ongoing, early identification services for mental health problems in school settings. METHOD: School counselors and other mental health professionals (N = 41) in middle, junior, and high schools (N= 23) were given training and supervision in the administration of an evidence-based mental health assessment tool, the Voice Diagnostic Interview Schedule for Children IV (DISC-IV), over the course of 1 1/2 school years. RESULTS: During the study, 530 students were selected to be assessed with the DISC, and 72% were confirmed to be at risk for a mental health problem (DISC+). Among DISC+ cases, 71% had never been in treatment before. The most common problems identified by the DISC were symptoms related to suicide (28%), social phobia (20%), attention-deficit/ hyperactivity disorder (19%), and oppositional defiant disorder (19%). Based on schools' recommendations, 82% of parents with DISC+ children agreed to make an appointment for a follow-up evaluation. Of DISC+ children whose parents agreed to seek further evaluation, 65% of them were evaluated by a health or mental health professional within 2 weeks. CONCLUSIONS: Use of a computerized, evidence-based mental health assessment tool is a feasible strategy for providing early mental health identification services in schools and can help to bridge the gap between mental health providers and the unmet needs of children who are at risk for mental health problems within the community.
