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Mental health is a sensitive topic to teach, as it’s difficult to judge anyone’s personal experiences of mental distress. Northumbria University has developed a programme explicitly for people with experience of mental distress who have an interest in being involved in research. This chapter discusses how it is important to be sensitive to the different experiences that students have and to develop reciprocal trust. It goes on to discuss the importance of creating a safe space for students to learn about mental health and research and provide some tips for doing so. These tips include being clear about individual biases and limitations, using personal stories and examples to connect with students, emphasising the importance of resilience, connecting students to resources and being open and flexible to offering additional support in a sensitive way. The chapter also discusses the challenges that students experiencing mental distress may face in academia, such as low self-esteem, imposter syndrome, and difficulties in accessing resources. The chapter provides some suggestions as to how educators can address these challenges such as providing students with opportunities to share personal experiences and learning to turn those experiences into assets. In addition, this chapter highlights the potential for students to shift their identity from ‘patient’ to ‘student’ to ‘researcher’ as they engage in the learning process. This shift in identity can be empowering and can help students to feel more in control of both their mental health and their futures. Overall, the chapter provides valuable insights into how to teach about mental health in an inclusive and sensitive way. The tips and suggestions provided can help educators to create safe and trusting environments for students to learn and address challenges with mental health often faced in academia.

This study aims to use the dual-continuum model of mental health to explore mental health in Australian construction apprentices from the perspective of key stakeholders in the apprenticeship model. In particular, this study explored how construction apprentices, Vocational Education and Training (VET) teachers, industry employers and mental health workers understood the construct of mental health, factors associated with the dimension of psychological distress/symptoms of mental illness, and factors associated with the dimension of mental wellbeing.

This study used an exploratory qualitative research design. Data from 36 semi-structured interviews were analysed using thematic analysis. Participants comprised 19 Australian construction apprentices, 5 VET teachers, 7 industry employers and 5 mental health workers.

In total, 14 themes were generated from the data set. Participants across stakeholder groups reported a limited understanding about mental health. Participants cited a range of negative personal, workplace and industry factors associated with psychological distress/symptoms of mental illness, but only reported a few factors associated with mental wellbeing.

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is one of the first to use the dual-continuum model of mental health to explore the mental health of Australian construction apprentices, and to explore the factors associated with both dimensions of this model from the perspective of key stakeholders in the Australian construction apprenticeship model.

This case documents an innovative human resource management (HRM) practice adopted by an Australian organization in the energy sector, purposefully introducing lived experience informed “mental health advocate” (MHA) roles into the organization, to address pressing mental health workforce issues. MHA roles provide experiential, first-hand knowledge of experiencing mental health issues, offering a novel, common-sense and impactful perspective on supporting employees with mental health challenges.

Data that informed this case came from desktop research using publicly available resources, as well as a series of conversations with four key stakeholders in the organization. This approach allowed insights into Energy Queensland’s journey towards establishing novel MHA roles to delineate the day-to-day work practice of these roles.

This is a novel HRM practice that has only recently emerged outside of the mental health sector. We discuss key considerations that enabled the success of the roles, including taking an evolutionary perspective, obtaining support from senior executives and relevant stakeholders, making a long-term financial commitment, and providing autonomy and flexibility in role design. This is the first article that documents this innovative practice to offer new insights to HRM scholars, as well as practical guidelines to other organizations in addressing workforce mental health issues.

This study aims to extend the literature on psychological contracts, employee mental health, self-control and equity sensitivity among employees in Ghana.

Data for this study came from a sample of 484 employees from an organisation in the telecommunication sector of Ghana. The details of the study were discussed with employees after which they were given the choice to participate in the study.

The present study found that psychological contract breach is directly associated with mental health and indirectly related to mental health through equity sensitivity and self-control.

The findings suggest that psychological contracts are important aspects of the employment relationship that could be used to enhance employee mental health. Furthermore, enhancing employees’ self-control and resolving issues of individuals high on equity sensitivity are effective ways that organisations can deploy to sustain mental health in the face of psychological contract breaches.

The outbreak of COVID-19 not only had serious negative impacts on the world economy but also on the global mental health because of the psychological disorders associated with the spread of the pandemic, the increased degree of uncertainty and the unprecedented measures taken by different countries to face the pandemic’s spread. This paper analyses the mental health well-being of individuals in selected MENA countries (Jordan, Morocco, Tunisia and Egypt) during the pandemic.

The study employs a pooled OLS model using the Economic Research Forum (ERF) COVID-19 MENA Monitor Survey panel dataset collected during 2020 and 2021.

The findings show that there is no association between the mental health of individuals in the selected countries and their age, gender, family size, marital status, receipt of social support and participation in care work. Mental health improved at higher levels of education, being employed, being a rural area resident and living in Morocco or Tunisia compared to living in Jordan while it worsened as income declined, food insecurity and anxiety about being infected with Covid-19 increased, being a resident in camps, and during waves 4 and 5. Based on these results, it is recommended that suitable financial, physical and human resources should be directed towards the provision of mental health care services in the region. Also, mental health care services should be accessible to different population groups, with a special focus towards the most vulnerable since they are more prone to mental illnesses, especially during health crises and economic shocks. This should be accompanied by increasing awareness about the provided services and reducing stigma against mental illnesses. Furthermore, introduction of policies targeted towards reducing food insecurity and income instability can play a key role in enhancing mental well-being.

Although few papers have previously investigated the impact of COVID-19 on mental health in MENA countries, most of them have focused on a country-level analysis and adopted a gender perspective. Hence, this paper aims at exploring the association between mental health well-being and socio-economic factors in selected MENA countries during the pandemic.

The early care and education (ECE) workforce plays a pivotal role in shaping early childhood developmental trajectories and simultaneously experiences significant mental health disparities. The purpose of this study is to investigate how social determinants of health and external stressors are associated with the mental health of ECE staff, which represent a low-resourced segment of the workforce; how psychological capital (psycap) can mitigate these associations.

The authors administered an 89-item survey to 332 ECE staff employed in 42 Head Start centers in the USA. The authors ran three hierarchical linear regression models to analyze associations between social determinants of health, external sources of stress, psycap and potential moderation effects and mental health outcomes.

Individuals experiencing greater finance-related stress reported 0.15 higher scores on the depression scale and 0.20 higher scores on the anxiety scale than those experiencing less finance-related stress (p < 0.05). Individuals experiencing greater work-related stress reported 1.26 more days of poorer mental health in the past month than those experiencing less work-related stress (p < 0.01). After controlling for all sociodemographic variables and sources of stress, psycap was significantly and negatively associated with depressive symptomology (b-weight = −0.02, p < 0.01) and the number of poor mental health days reported in the past month (b-weight = −0.13, p < 0.05). Moderation models suggest that higher levels of psycap may mitigate the association between work-related stress and the number of poor mental health days reported in the past month (b-weight = −0.06, p = 0.02).

The implications of these findings suggest a need for policy change to mitigate social determinants of health and promote pay equity and multi-level interventio ns that target workplace-related stressors and psycap to combat poor mental health of the ECE workforce.

Source credibility is a key influencing factor across both commercial and social marketing. It is perhaps even more important for the latter given that the issues under consideration generally have substantial implications for both individual and societal health and well-being. The Act-Belong-Commit campaign is a world-first population-wide application of social marketing in the area of positive mental health promotion. This study aims to focus on the perceived credibility of the Act-Belong-Commit campaign as a source of information about mental health as a predictor of three types of behavioural responses to the campaign: adopting mental health enhancing behaviours; seeking information about mental health and mental health problems; and seeking help for a mental health problem.

A state-wide survey was undertaken of the adult population in an Australian state where the Act-Belong-Commit campaign originated. The survey included measures of the above three behavioural responses to the campaign and measures of respondents’ perceptions of Act-Belong-Commit’s source credibility. Logistic regression analyses were performed to determine whether the three behavioural responses can be predicted based on perceived source credibility. The predictive performance of the model was examined by receiver operating characteristic curve analysis.

Greater perceived source credibility was significantly associated with having done something for their mental health and for having sought information, and an increased likelihood, but not significantly so, of having sought help for a mental health problem.

Despite the acknowledged importance of source credibility, there has been little published research that the authors are aware of that has looked at the impact of such on the effectiveness of social marketing campaigns. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first published study of the association between source credibility and behavioural response to a social marketing campaign.

This study aims to construct a mental health service system for middle school students in the post-COVID-19 era with the framework of Six Sigma DMAIC (define, measure, analyze, improve and control) and analyze the influencing factors of the mental health service system to study the implementation strategies of quality-oriented mental health services in middle schools.

This study was conducted in Tianjin, China, from September to November 2022, and 350 middle school students from Tianjin Public Middle School were selected as subjects. A questionnaire survey was used to collect data. In this study, the Six Sigma DMAIC method, sensitivity analysis method, exploratory factor analysis and principal component analysis were used to analyze the mental health services provided to middle school students.

Based on the Six Sigma DMAIC framework, this study indicates that the contribution rate of the mental health service process factor is the largest in the post-COVID-19 era. The mental health cultivation factor ranks second in terms of its contribution. Mental health quality and policy factors are also important in the construction of middle school students’ mental health service system. In addition, the study highlights the importance of parental involvement and social support in student mental health services during the post-COVID-19 era.

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, a study on middle school students’ mental health in the post-Covid-19 era has not yet been conducted. This study developed a quality-oriented mental health system and analyzed the influencing factors of mental health for middle school students based on data analysis and the Six Sigma DMAIC method.

The Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 has led to the displacement of many Ukrainians. The purpose of this study is to investigate the relationship between their contact with Dutch society and their mental health. To this end, 136 adult, mostly female, displaced Ukrainians in the Netherlands participated in an online survey to investigate the relationship between quality of host national contact and mental health, as moderated by quantity of host national contact. The survey had a Ukrainian, Russian and English version, and it consisted of single questions assessing various variables, including quality of host national contact, quantity of host national contact, amount of discrimination/prejudice as well as five questions assessing mental health (Mental Health Inventory 5 [MHI-5]; Berwick et al., 1991). Contrary to the hypotheses, no interaction was found between quality of host national contact and quantity of host national contact, and quality of host national contact did not have a significant main effect on mental health. However, there is a significant, yet nonlinear main effect of quantity of host national contact on mental health. Moreover, there is a significant correlation between quality of host national contact and quantity of host national contact. Finally, and interestingly, there is a positive relationship between the amount of discrimination/prejudice and mental health among people who chose to fill out the Ukrainian version of the survey. These results provide a nuanced view of the relationship between the host environment and mental health, and governmental policies should take into account the complexity of this relationship.

A total of 161 displaced, mostly female (90.40%), Ukrainians in the Netherlands with the average age of 35 agreed to participate in this online survey. The main variables measured were mental health (dependent variable), quality of host national contact (independent variable 1) and quantity of host national contact (independent variable 2/moderator). Additional variables, such as the level of perceived discrimination/prejudice, have been included in the analyses. The survey was available in three different languages: Ukrainian, Russian and English.

In this study, the role of host national contact in the mental health of displaced Ukrainians in the Netherlands was investigated. The results showed that there was no interaction between quality of host national contact and quantity of host national contact in the prediction of mental health. Moreover, quality of host national contact did not predict mental health. Thus, both of the (preregistered) hypotheses of this study were refuted. However, the amount of perceived discrimination/prejudice turned out to be linked to mental health. Surprisingly, the amount of perceived discrimination/prejudice predicted higher mental health scores among participants who chose to fill out the survey in Ukrainian. Moreover, of the respondents included in the analysis, 94.85% gave reason for mental health concerns, as expressed by a converted MHI-5 score below 60.

Even though this study does show a positive relationship between the level of discrimination/prejudice and mental health among displaced Ukrainians who filled out the Ukrainian version of the survey, it does not offer a definite explanation for why this seemingly unexpected result occurred. No causal conclusions can be drawn based on this study regarding the relationship between host national contact and mental health.

The results of this study show that certain occurrences in the contact with host society members relate to mental health in unexpected and seemingly complex ways. This might mean that this study has potential for nuancing the current scientific knowledge regarding the relationship between host national contact and mental health. Such nuances might be quite important, as scientific research often forms the basis for governmental policies aimed at improving the mental health of displaced people. Therefore, governmental policymakers should be aware of the fact that there is no easy, clear-cut answer yet to the complex host society factors that play a role in the mental health of various displaced groups. Moreover, an investigation of the role of host national contact might lead to valuable knowledge about factors that contribute to the mental health of refugees. As has been said, refugees are at risk of developing various mental health issues, so they might need help managing their mental health. To this end, policymakers might need evidence-based information to develop interventions targeted at specific refugee groups. By investigating the mental health of displaced Ukrainians in the Netherlands, new insights will be gained to optimize mental health care for this particular refugee group.

This study yields important information regarding the degree of participation and inclusion of displaced Ukrainians in Dutch society, which can inform policies targeted at improving the experiences of this new displaced group. Because displaced Ukrainians have to deal with the mental health consequences of war and displacement, they might be particularly in need of a safe haven in which they feel included.

To the best of the author’s knowledge, this is the first study in which the role of the host society context in the mental health of displaced Ukrainians in the Netherlands is assessed. The results are quite unexpected and can nuance the current research on the link between discrimination and mental health. Moreover, this study can inspire future research to be conducted in the reasons behind this nuance, by researching the role of identity and uncertainty. Also, the author believes that this study is particularly suitable for this journal because it really looks at the link between social inclusion in the Dutch context and mental health outcomes.

This paper aims to explore the intersection of cultural processes and immigration in parental understanding of adolescent mental health and mental health seeking behaviors among African immigrants in Western countries. The present study examines the perspectives of Congolese immigrant parents on adolescent mental health in Brussels, Belgium, and Raleigh, North Carolina, USA – two geographic regions with relatively large Congolese migrant populations. This study highlights a needed understanding of cultural and acculturative context in shaping the beliefs of Congolese immigrants and explores potential barriers of seeking health services. Additionally, it recognizes health issues among this underrepresented and underserved population.

Fifteen Congolese immigrant parents, eight in the USA and seven in Belgium, participated in structured qualitative interviews using an adapted version of Kleinman Questions and behavioral scenarios on depression, post-traumatic stress disorder and oppositional defiant disorder. Interviews were audio recorded, and participants were assigned pseudonyms to de-identify responses. English interviews were transcribed verbatim by a trained team of undergraduate research assistants, and French interviews were transcribed verbatim by the first author and a graduate research assistant. Following transcription, the first and second authors used a rapid analytic approach (Hamilton, 2013). The first and second authors conducted a matrix analysis to observe thematic patterns.

Parents interpreted adolescent behavior to be more problematic when the scenarios were overtly outside of their cultural realm of values and beliefs. Parents preferred methods of intervention through religious practices and/or family and community efforts rather than seeking mental health services in their host countries as a secondary option. The authors’ findings provide an understanding of the values and beliefs of this underrepresented demographic, which may be useful to guide health professionals on how to support this community in a culturally responsive way.

Limitations to the current study include the structured nature of the interview guide that did not allow for in-depth qualitative exploration. Interviewed participants had lived in their host countries for more than 10+ years. Thus, the authors’ findings are not reflective of new immigrants’ experiences. Parents’ perspectives were likely shaped by exposure to Western beliefs related to support for mental health (e.g. knowledge of psychologists). Future studies should focus on recent refugees due to exposure to traumatic events and experiences reflective of the Democratic Republic of Congo’s (DRC’s) current socio-political situation, and how these are understood in the context of adolescent mental health. Further, due to the hypothetical nature of the scenarios, the authors cannot be sure that participants would engage in the identified approaches with their children. Additionally, hearing from the youth’s perspective would provide a clearer insight on how mental health and seeking professional help is viewed in a parent–child relationship. Finally, the data for this study were collected in 2019, prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. Although the authors cannot speak directly to Congolese refugee and immigrant experiences during this significant historical period, given the rise in mental health concerns in refugee populations more broadly (Logie et al., 2022), the authors’ findings speak to how parents may have responded to increased mental health symptoms and point to additional barriers that these populations may have faced in accessing support. The authors’ study emphasizes the need for dedicating resources and attention to this population, especially the development of culturally tailored messaging that invites community members to support the mental health needs of their community.

The authors’ findings provide important implications for mental health professionals. This study provides a clearer understanding of how Congolese immigrant parents view mental health and help-seeking within their cultural frame. Although parents may seek professional help, a distrust of mental health services was expressed across both cohorts. This suggests that mental health professionals should acknowledge potential distrust among this population and clarify their role in supporting the mental health of adolescent immigrants. Clinicians should inquire about familial cultural beliefs that are parent- and child-centered and modify their interventions to fit these belief structures.

This paper addresses the gap in knowledge about mental health perspectives of Sub-Saharan African immigrant populations, specifically those from the DRC.