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1 – 10 of over 28000Shonagh Leigh and Jason Davies
This paper aims to provide practitioners with a brief but comprehensive review of the current evidence base for psychological treatment approaches used in the UK that may be…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to provide practitioners with a brief but comprehensive review of the current evidence base for psychological treatment approaches used in the UK that may be useful for stalking therapies.
Design/methodology/approach
A rapid evidence assessment was conducted on papers (post the UK Protection from Harassment Act, 1997) that discuss treatments of stalking (with or without a conviction) and associated offences/disorders. Therapies reviewed were Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Cognitive Analytic Therapy, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, Dialectical Behaviour Therapy and Schema Therapy. Searches for Mentalization-Based Therapy and Psychodynamic Therapy in relation to stalking were also performed but yielded no results that met inclusion criteria.
Findings
There is currently a severely limited evidence base for the efficacy of the psychological treatment of stalking behaviours. Some interventions show promise although a multifaceted, formulation-based approach is likely to be required.
Practical implications
Future research would benefit from robust studies focused on stalking with long-term efficacy follow-ups.
Originality/value
To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first rapid evidence review of psychological treatments that directly address stalking behaviour.
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Alana Fisher, Sylvia Eugene Dit Rochesson, Logan R. Harvey, Christina Marel and Katherine L. Mills
Evidence is lacking as to the superiority of dual-focused versus single-focused approaches in treating depression and alcohol use comorbidity. Different people may also value the…
Abstract
Purpose
Evidence is lacking as to the superiority of dual-focused versus single-focused approaches in treating depression and alcohol use comorbidity. Different people may also value the different features of treatment options differently, necessitating a decision-support tool. This study aims to test the acceptability, feasibility, safety and potential usefulness of the Alcohol and Depression Decision-Aid for Psychological Treatments (ADDAPT).
Design/methodology/approach
ADDAPT was developed according to International Patient Decision-Aid Standards and in consultation with potential end users. Adults with depression and alcohol use comorbidity, who were considering/recently considered psychological treatments, were recruited via online advertisements. After clicking on the study URL, participants accessed the ADDAPT e-book and completed validated and purpose-designed questionnaires.
Findings
Of the 24 participants, most would recommend ADDAPT to others (79.2% agree) and endorsed it as easy-to-use (75%), useful in decision-making (79.2%), presenting balanced (87.5%), up-to-date (91.7%), easy-to-understand (79.2%) and trustworthy information (83.3%), which did not provoke anxiety (i.e. safety; 75%). Post-use, participants felt well prepared to decide on treatment (M = 3.48/5) and demonstrated good treatment knowledge (M = 65.83%). All but one participant indicated a treatment choice supported by best available evidence, and decisional conflict scores except for the uncertainty subscale were below the threshold for decisional delay (all M < 37.5/100).
Originality/value
ADDAPT is the first decision-aid of its kind, with pilot findings supporting its acceptability, feasibility, safety and potential usefulness for improving decision-making quality among people considering psychological treatment options for depression and alcohol use comorbidity.
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The purpose of this paper is to look at the design and delivery of psychological treatments offered by the UK National Health Service (NHS) and in particular, ask how much…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to look at the design and delivery of psychological treatments offered by the UK National Health Service (NHS) and in particular, ask how much treatment is enough, or who should decide when the patient has had enough treatment.
Design/methodology/approach
The data reported in this section were collected during routine clinical practice in the NHS in Scotland.
Findings
It was found that treatments could be redesigned so that important therapeutic information is provided in time frames that match patient preferences, leading to more efficient and effective services.
Originality/value
Clinicians, predominantly, determine the design and delivery of treatment programmes, whereas the paper suggests that programmes should be focused on the patient and their needs.
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Joe Curran, Paul Lawson, Simon Houghton and Kevin Gournay
Behavioural activation is a contemporary behavioural treatment for depression that has the potential advantages of being more readily adopted in psychiatric inpatient environments…
Abstract
Behavioural activation is a contemporary behavioural treatment for depression that has the potential advantages of being more readily adopted in psychiatric inpatient environments than more complex psychological treatment approaches and requiring less intensive training than these approaches. In this article the theoretical and empirical foundations of behavioural activation are described along with an outline of the therapeutic process and key interventions used. Consideration is then given to factors influencing the implementation of BA in psychiatric inpatient environments.
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Mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) is a common occurrence. For most people recovery is quick and complete. For a minority disability persists. This paper aims to discuss the…
Abstract
Purpose
Mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) is a common occurrence. For most people recovery is quick and complete. For a minority disability persists. This paper aims to discuss the factors that likely give rise to this on‐going disability and discuss the current evidence‐based approaches to treatment.
Design/methodology/approach
A selective review of the contemporaneous research literature was undertaken.
Findings
On‐going disability following mTBI is likely to be secondary to a combination of factors, namely subtle organic damage, psychological factors and situational/motivational factors. These factors likely operate to different degrees in different individuals and may vary over time in individual cases. Treatment in the form of a multi‐disciplinary assessment, accurate sign‐posting to appropriate services and cognitive‐behavioural psychotherapy is likely to improve outcomes for some with on‐going disability following mTBI.
Research limitations/implications
Future research should aim to identify at an early stage post‐injury those individuals at risk of developing on‐going disability following mTBI and the efficacy of different treatment approaches.
Practical implications
Earlier identification of individuals not making the expected rapid recovery from mTBI, followed by appropriate multi‐disciplinary assessment and intervention would likely improve outcomes for patients at risk of developing on‐going disability following mTBI.
Originality/value
This paper is of value to healthcare professionals who encounter individuals reporting on‐going symptoms and problems following an apparently mild traumatic brain injury.
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Rachael Wheatley, Sara Henley and Frank Farnham
This paper aims to present issues of deterrence related to stalking.
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to present issues of deterrence related to stalking.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors have combined recent mixed method research findings and existing general deterrence literature with their practitioner experiences of working with this population, to provide a novel viewpoint paper intending to influence advancements in knowledge in this area.
Findings
Recent qualitative research investigating the function of stalking in a small sample (see Wheatley et al., 2020a) noted the participants’ focus on the lack of deterrence. For example, participants described feeling emotionally stuck in their pursuits, experiencing poor access to help and support, being ignorant of the potential custodial consequences of their offending and even stating that imprisonment provided a harsh yet necessary moment of reality.
Originality/value
This novel discussion paper reviews these findings in relation to both the available research based on deterrence generally and deterrence related to stalking and the experience of working with stalking cases in clinical practice. This paper explores what we know about the motivations that underlie stalking behaviour and how that relates to the effectiveness of deterrence, including the role of traditional criminal justice approaches to this type of offending.
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Jane Briddon, Clare Baguley and Martin Webber
This paper highlights the social context of common mental disorders in primary care and the paucity of evidence relating to effective social interventions. It introduces the ABC‐E…
Abstract
This paper highlights the social context of common mental disorders in primary care and the paucity of evidence relating to effective social interventions. It introduces the ABC‐E Model of Emotion, which combines social interventions with psychological therapy, and discusses how the implementation of the new role of graduate primary care mental health worker (GPCMHW) provides an opportunity for holistic practice in helping individuals experiencing mild to moderate mental health difficulties in primary care. It provides a case example of the implementation of the ABC‐E model and makes recommendations for further research including the evaluation of the model and GPCMHW training programmes.
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This article summarises recent research into the subject of downloading child pornography and the different kinds of individuals engaged in the activity. Current attitudes to…
Abstract
This article summarises recent research into the subject of downloading child pornography and the different kinds of individuals engaged in the activity. Current attitudes to paedophilia are assessed. The question as to whether the downloading of pornographic paedophile material always leads to paedophilia is a core discussion. The law and current views on downloading are also discussed. The issue of whether downloaders of such materials are a danger is addressed and ways of preventing children being sexually exploited via the internet are explored.
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Therese O' Donoghue, John Shine and Olufunto Orimalade
The purpose of this paper is to present preliminary data on a cohort of patients referred to a specialist forensic medium-secure autism spectrum disorder (ASD) service during its…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to present preliminary data on a cohort of patients referred to a specialist forensic medium-secure autism spectrum disorder (ASD) service during its first two years of opening and to identify variables associated with admission to the service.
Design/methodology/approach
Data on all referrals to the service (n=40) was obtained from clinical files on demographics, offending history, psychiatric history and levels of therapeutic engagement. The sample was divided into two groups: referred and admitted (n=23) and referred and not admitted (n=17). Statistical analysis compared the two groups on all variables.
Findings
Totally, 94 per cent of all individuals assessed had a diagnosis of autism, however, structured diagnostic tools for ASD were used in a small minority of cases. About half the sample had a learning disability, almost four-fifths had at least one additional mental disorder and almost three-quarters had a history of prior supervision failure or non-compliance with treatment. The sample had a wide range of previous offences. No significant differences were found between the groups on any of the variables included in the study.
Research limitations/implications
The present study presents a starting point to follow up in terms of response to treatment and characteristics associated with treatment outcome.
Practical implications
The sample had a wide range of clinical and risk-related needs. Both groups shared many similarities.
Originality/value
This highlights the need for comprehensive assessment looking at risk-related needs so that individuals are referred to an optimal treatment pathway.
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