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1 – 10 of 102Elanor Webb, Benedetta Lupattelli Gencarelli, Grace Keaveney and Deborah Morris
The prevalence of exposure to adversity is elevated in autistic populations, compared to neurotypical peers. Despite this, the frequency and nature of early adverse experiences…
Abstract
Purpose
The prevalence of exposure to adversity is elevated in autistic populations, compared to neurotypical peers. Despite this, the frequency and nature of early adverse experiences are not well understood in autistic adults, with several underlying methodological limitations in the available literature. The purpose of this study is to systematically synthesise and analyse the prevalence of childhood adversity in this marginalised population, in accordance with the adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) framework.
Design/methodology/approach
Peer-reviewed empirical research articles were systematically searched for from electronic databases and screened against established inclusion criteria. Pooled prevalence rates for individual ACE types were calculated.
Findings
Four papers were included (N = 732), all of which used a predominantly or exclusively female sample. Only sexual abuse was reported in all papers, with a pooled prevalence rate of 38%. Physical abuse and emotional abuse were less frequently explored, with two papers reporting on these ACEs, though obtained comparable and higher pooled prevalence rates (39% and 49%, respectively). Pooled prevalence rates could be calculated for neither neglect nor “household” ACEs because of insufficient data. The limited state of the evidence, in conjunction with high levels of heterogeneity and poor sample representativeness found, positions the ACEs of autistic adults as a critical research priority.
Originality/value
To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is the first to systematically synthesise the prevalence of early childhood adversities, as conceptualised in accordance with the ACEs framework, in adults with autistic traits.
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Bhoomika N. Jadhav, P. Padma Sri Lekha, E.P. Abdul Azeez, Jyoti Sharma, Archana Yadav and Mufina Begam J.
Gender discrimination exists in various settings globally and harms women’s mental health. This study aims to understand the impact of gender discrimination on hopelessness and…
Abstract
Purpose
Gender discrimination exists in various settings globally and harms women’s mental health. This study aims to understand the impact of gender discrimination on hopelessness and emotional vulnerability. Further, we attempted to determine whether benevolent childhood experiences (BCEs) moderate the relationships of gender discrimination with hopelessness and emotional vulnerability.
Design/methodology/approach
Data from 445 young women from India was gathered from a cross-sectional survey. Measures included gender discrimination inventory, Beck’s hopelessness inventory, emotional vulnerability scale and BCE scale.
Findings
Results yielded a significant positive association of gender discrimination with hopelessness and emotional vulnerability. BCEs were negatively related to hopelessness, emotional vulnerability and gender discrimination. Further, gender discrimination predicted increased feelings of hopelessness and emotional vulnerability. However, BCEs do not neutralize the effect of gender discrimination.
Social implications
It is evident from this study that gender discrimination exists independent of socioeconomic class, domicile and educational qualification, taking a toll on women’s well-being and mental health. Incorporating attitudinal changes at the community and societal level in reducing gender norms responsible for negative outcomes will allow women to function to their full capacity and experience improved mental health.
Originality/value
The research on gender discrimination and its impact on women’s mental health is limited, especially exploring the role of BCEs. Previous studies have indicated that BCEs have protective roles in neutralizing adversities. However, the present study uniquely contributes to establishing the limited role of BCEs in the context of gender discrimination, though it contributes to mental health. The policy and psychosocial implications of the study are discussed.
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Karen Goodall, Zara P. Brodie, Kirsty Deacon, Kimberly Collins and Karri Gillespie-Smith
Knowledge about the prevalence and impact of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) is pivotal to trauma-informed approaches, yet the impact of ACEs training is rarely investigated…
Abstract
Purpose
Knowledge about the prevalence and impact of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) is pivotal to trauma-informed approaches, yet the impact of ACEs training is rarely investigated. This study reports a qualitative investigation of police perceptions of ACEs training in relation to conceptualisations of ACEs and trauma-informed working, practical applications of ACE knowledge and service-level support.
Design/methodology/approach
Four focus groups were conducted with 29 police officers, who had participated in an ACEs-awareness training. Based on the qualitative data, themes were generated using reflexive thematic analysis (Braun and Clarke, 2019).
Findings
Analysis generated seven themes, conceptualised into three domains of conceptual understanding, police culture and operationalising ACEs.
Research limitations/implications
The sample is limited to Scottish police officers and is ethnically non-diverse. Further evaluation of higher quality interventions is warranted.
Practical implications
The study highlighted that a lack of conceptual framework, officer concerns and police culture may present barriers to officers incorporating ACEs knowledge into their day-to-day work. Future trainings should address these issues to achieve maximum benefits.
Originality/value
To the authors’ knowledge, this is the first in-depth qualitative study of police officers' perceptions of ACEs training. Focus groups facilitated the expression of cultural norms. The results provide insight into tailoring trauma-informed interventions in police in future, as well as raising broader service-level issues.
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The purpose of this paper is to examine recovery through lived experience. It is part of a series that explores candid accounts of addiction and recovery to identify important…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to examine recovery through lived experience. It is part of a series that explores candid accounts of addiction and recovery to identify important components in the recovery process.
Design/methodology/approach
The G-CHIME model comprises six elements important to addiction recovery (growth, connectedness, hope, identity, meaning in life and empowerment). It provides a standard against which to consider addiction recovery, having been used in this series, as well as in the design of interventions that improve well-being and strengthen recovery. In this paper, a first-hand account is presented, followed by a semi-structured e-interview with the author of the account. Narrative analysis is used to explore the account and interview through the G-CHIME model.
Findings
This paper shows that addiction recovery is a remarkable process that can be effectively explained using the G-CHIME model. The significance of each component in the model is apparent from the account and e-interview presented.
Originality/value
Each account of recovery in this series is unique and, as yet, untold.
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Gregory J. Benner, Sean Slade, Lisa Strycker and Erica O. Lee
The Whole Child Initiative (WCI) was developed over the past 15 years as a blueprint to promote long-term development and success of all children, as well as their families and…
Abstract
The Whole Child Initiative (WCI) was developed over the past 15 years as a blueprint to promote long-term development and success of all children, as well as their families and communities. This chapter describes three aspects of the WCI model: (a) the need for a public health approach to sustainable, communitywide change targeting the whole child; (b) a clear, future-oriented vision for equipping educators, caregivers, and service providers with the skills and attitudes required to deliver high-quality instruction; and (c) the infusion of social and emotional learning practices to transform environments in which youth live and play. We provide examples of how schools, communities, and families can come together to create a common culture fostering stable and nurturing relationships essential for enhancing youth well-being. We close with recommended “super strategies” – low-cost, simple, and effective practices that can be broadly implemented to keep every child healthy, safe, engaged, supported, and challenged in the community at large.
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The purpose of this article is to examine synergies between a eudaimonic model of psychological well-being (Ryff, 1989) and mental health practice. The model grew out of clinical…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this article is to examine synergies between a eudaimonic model of psychological well-being (Ryff, 1989) and mental health practice. The model grew out of clinical, developmental, existential and humanistic perspectives that emphasized psychological strengths and capacities, in contrast to the focus on emotional distress and dysfunction in clinical psychology.
Design/methodology/approach
Conceptual foundations of the eudaimonic approach are described, along with the six components positive functioning that are used to measure well-being. These qualities may be important in facilitating the recovery experiences, which are of interest in Mental Health and Social Inclusion.
Findings
Four categories of empirical evidence about eudaimonia are reviewed: how it changes with aging, how it matters for health, what are its biological and neurological underpinnings and whether it can be promoted. Major contemporary forces against eudaimonia are also considered, including ever-widening inequality, the enduring pandemic and world-wide strife. In contrast, encounters with the arts and nature are put forth as forces for eudaimonia. The relevance of these ideas for mental health research and practice is considered.
Practical implications
Enormous suffering defines our contemporary world. Such realities call for greater attention to factors that undermine as well as nurture the realization of human potential, the core of eudaimonic well-being.
Originality/value
Mental health is often defined as the absence of mental illness. The novelty of the eudaimonic approach is to define mental health as the presence of well-being, assessed with different components of positive functioning.
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Jessica B. Koslouski, Kristabel Stark and Sandra M. Chafouleas
School violence can cause or exacerbate individual and collective trauma. Trauma-informed school approaches offer schools and educators guidance for how to respond. In this…
Abstract
School violence can cause or exacerbate individual and collective trauma. Trauma-informed school approaches offer schools and educators guidance for how to respond. In this chapter, we provide an overview of trauma-informed school approaches and their contributions to healing individual and collective trauma. We begin this chapter by addressing the complex intersection of disability and trauma, and the unique implications of school-based violence for students with disabilities and their teachers. We then define trauma-informed care, describe current short- and long-term trauma-informed school approaches, and explain the aims of these approaches at individual and collective levels. Next, we locate trauma-informed responses to school violence in a context of systemic trauma and share considerations for disrupting the systemic conditions that perpetuate trauma and school violence. We discuss critiques of the trauma-informed care movement and conclude with recommendations for scholars pursuing research in this area.
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Moon Fai Chan, Nasser Al-Sibani, Salim Al-Huseini, Alkhatib Al-Saadi, Saoud Al-Busaidi, Jawaher Al Kharusi, Nutaila Al Kharusi, Gilles J. Guillemin, Mohammed Al-Abri and Samir Al-Adawi
The phenomenon of social withdrawal, known as the hikikomori-like idiom of distress (HLID), has been reported in many countries. This study aimed to explore profiles of Omanis who…
Abstract
Purpose
The phenomenon of social withdrawal, known as the hikikomori-like idiom of distress (HLID), has been reported in many countries. This study aimed to explore profiles of Omanis who have HLID.
Design/methodology/approach
A cross-sectional online survey of 673 out of 1,529 Omanis identified with HLID using the Hikikomori Questionnaire (HQ-25) score of 42+.
Findings
Two profile groups were determined through cluster analysis according to socio-demographic and HQ-25 outcomes. Subjects in cluster 1 (n = 168, 24.9%) are significantly younger (p < 0.001) and more educated (p = 0.019), spend more time online (p < 0.001) and are living alone (p < 0.001) than subjects in cluster 2 (n = 505, 75.1%). More subjects in cluster 1 had a past mental illness (p = 0.037) but less previous childhood physical/emotional abuse (p = 0.029) than subjects in cluster 2. In contrast, subjects in cluster 2 had a low lack of socialization (p < 0.001), less active isolation (p < 0.001) and total HQ-25 scores (p < 0.001) than cluster 1. Subjects in Cluster 1 have more serious social withdrawal issues than those in Cluster 2, especially on a lack of socialization and isolation.
Research limitations/implications
One limitation that might influence the results of this online study was that information was collected via self-report, and a cross-sectional design limits its results because it cannot assess causal inference. This study has contributed valuably to exploring different profile groups of HDLD, especially in the Arabian Gulf. The authors’ findings facilitate the development by creating innovative interventions strategically tackling different hikikomori groups.
Originality/value
While social withdrawal characterized by HLID has been reported proliferating in different parts of the world, little research has been forthcoming from Arabian Gulf countries. These findings suggest that there are two orthogonal clusters of HLID among Omanis. This study provides a foundation for further research on HLID, which has recently been reported in different parts of the world.
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In this chapter, the author critically examines the deeply entrenched practices and theories within counselor education, revealing their roots in historically dominant…
Abstract
In this chapter, the author critically examines the deeply entrenched practices and theories within counselor education, revealing their roots in historically dominant, Eurocentric, and often racially oppressive assumptions. This study brings to light the pervasive impact of these traditional approaches, illuminating their role in perpetuating racial oppression and disparities in mental health care. The author presents a compelling argument for adopting Critical Race Theory (CRT) as an effective pedagogical and clinical practice framework in the counseling profession, a step toward its much-needed liberation. CRT's tenets are examined as a robust alternative, promoting socially just outcomes in counseling and psychotherapy. The article highlights CRT's capacity to address the well-established relationship between racism, white supremacy, and minority mental health. It proposes a groundbreaking model for praxis, predicated on CRT, which holds potential not only to challenge and disrupt oppressive structures but also to pave the way for the liberation of both the oppressed and the oppressor. This seminal work prompts a re-envisioning of counselor education, asserting a call for a transformative shift toward a liberation-based, social justice pedagogy.
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