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Low levels of mental health literacy about depression in the community impact negatively on attitudes towards people with the disorder and their help-seeking. The aim of this study was to assess the effectiveness of a problem-solving, Story-bridge mental health literacy programme, in improving community leaders' knowledge about helpful interventions for, and recognition of, depression. A cluster randomised controlled trial involving 140 assembly members, intervention (n = 70) and control (n = 70) groups. The intervention group received a three-hour mental health literacy programme. The control group received a plain language basic brochure about mental health issues. Data were collected at baseline and 12-week follow-up. The intervention group demonstrated greater improvement in knowledge about helpful interventions for, and recognition of, depression compared to the control group at follow-up; however, the differences in both measures were small and not statistically significant. The programme has the potential to improve participants' knowledge about helpful interventions for, and recognition of, depression. Positive outcomes have public mental health implications as they might enhance early help-seeking and contribute to better outcomes for individuals with mental health problems. ACTRN12617000033347. Date of registration – 9 January 2017. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Unstructured interviews offer a potential source of rich data in nursing research. In this paper, Terence McCann and Eileen Clark examine the challenges presented when unstructured interviews are used with [...]

Students may be perceived as an accessible source for research, but their use as research subjects is not without ethical problems. These difficulties are increased when the researchers are also [...]

In the first article in this series, the methodological characteristics of grounded theory were examined (McCann and Clark 2003a). In the second article, a critique was presented of the methodology, [...]

The epistemological underpinnings of grounded theory make it valuable in the study of nursing, which is premised on an interpersonal process between nurses and clients. Further, it is a useful [...]

Depression is the most common mental illness in older adults and is a leading cause of global disability. Generally, those who have a stronger sense of self-identity and find meaning in their lives tend to manage the symptoms of depression better than those who do not. Little is known about the association between self-identity, meaning in life and self-management of depression in older adults. The aim of this grounded theory study was to explicate how older adults with depression attempted to reclaim self-identity in ways that facilitated self-management. Data collection and analysis were informed by Corbin and Strauss' approach to grounded theory. Thirty-two older adults with a formal diagnosis of moderate depression participated in in-depth, semi-structured interviews. The core problem for participants related to their sense that they were not treated as individuals as they sought to receive and adapt to a depression diagnosis. This challenge was conceptualised as Struggling to maintain personal identity as an older adult with depression. By empowering themselves and striving for a meaningful existence, participants strived to master their current circumstances in ways that strengthened their sense of personal identity. This, in turn, supported their efforts to effectively manage their symptoms of depression and employ adaptive coping strategies that optimise well-being. Our findings identify the need for recovery-oriented models of interdisciplinary practice that enhance self-identity and meaning in life in older adults, in ways that support self-management of depression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]