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Background: Clientele's attitude toward Persons with Mental Illness (PwMI) changes over a period of time. The aim of this study was to explore and understand how and whether perception about PwMI changes when they are seen working like persons without mental illness among those availing services of ROSes café at NIMHANS, Bengaluru. Methods: The descriptive research design was adopted with purposive sampling. Community Attitude toward Mentally Ill (CAMI) a self -administered questionnaire of was administered to measure the clientele attitude towards staff with mental illness in ROSes Café (Recovery Oriented Services). A total of 256 subjects availing services from the ROSes café recruited in the study. Chi-square and Mann–Whitney U test was computed to see the association and differences on selected variables. Results: The present study results showed that subjects had a positive attitude seen in health care professionals in the domains of benevolence (BE) (28.68 ± 3.00) and community mental health ideology (CMHI) (31.53 ± 3.19), whereas non-health care professionals had showed negative attitude in the domain of authoritarianism (AU) (30.54 ± 3.42) and social restrictiveness (SR) (30.18 ± 3.05). Education, employment, marital, income, and working status were significantly associated with CAMI domains. Conclusion: PwMI also can work like people without mental illness when the opportunities are provided. The community needs to regard mental illness in the same manner as chronic physical illness diabetes mellitus and allow PwMI to live a life of dignity by creating and offering opportunities to earn livelihood which would help them recover with their illnesses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite advances in human rights and treatments, stigma toward individuals diagnosed with mental illness is common across the African continent. This article explores experiences of stigma and social exclusion among individuals diagnosed with mental illness and receiving treatment in a psychiatric facility in Ghana. The study, based on in-depth, semi-structured interviews generated the following themes: beliefs in spiritual causes of mental illness; spirituality as a coping mechanism; mistreatment and abuse. The findings highlight the significance of social exclusion and spirituality as the main roots of stigma; also the importance of awareness-raising as tools for anti-stigma work in the global South. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined the elevated risk of intimate partner violence (IPV) among persons with mental health-related disabilities (MH-RD) and the extent to which known risk factors accounted for this phenomenon. Data were drawn from a nationally representative sample of 33,127 Canadians collected in 2014 as part of Statistics Canada's General Social Survey. Results showed that respondents with MH-RD had more than three-fold increased odds of both overall and severe IPV victimization. Although females were more likely to possess a MH-RD, males and females with MH-RD reported similarly elevated odds of IPV victimization. Risk factors that contributed to a significant reduction in elevated odds of IPV for respondents with MH-RD were child maltreatment (CM), respondents' nonprescription drug abuse, and perpetrators' jealous, monitoring, and socially isolating behaviors. The inability to test additional risk factors and bidirectionality in the relationship between MH-RD and IPV may have contributed to the failure to fully account for these respondents' elevated odds of IPV. Future research is needed to understand the complex mechanisms contributing to the elevated risk of IPV and enhance prevention and intervention strategies for this underresearched and underserved vulnerable population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Mental health policies outline the need for codesign of services and quality improvement in partnership with service users and staff (and sometimes carers), and yet, evidence of systematic implementation and the impacts on healthcare outcomes is limited. Objective: The aim of this study was to test whether an adapted mental health experience codesign intervention to improve recovery‐orientation of services led to greater psychosocial recovery outcomes for service users. Design: A stepped wedge cluster randomized‐controlled trial was conducted. Setting and Participants: Four Mental Health Community Support Services providers, 287 people living with severe mental illnesses, 61 carers and 120 staff were recruited across Victoria, Australia. Main Outcome Measures: The 24‐item Revised Recovery Assessment Scale (RAS‐R) measured individual psychosocial recovery. Results: A total of 841 observations were completed with 287 service users. The intention‐to‐treat analysis found RAS‐R scores to be similar between the intervention (mean = 84.7, SD= 15.6) and control (mean = 86.5, SD= 15.3) phases; the adjusted estimated difference in the mean RAS‐R score was −1.70 (95% confidence interval: −3.81 to 0.40; p =.11). Discussion: This first trial of an adapted mental health experience codesign intervention for psychosocial recovery outcomes found no difference between the intervention and control arms. Conclusions: More attention to the conditions that are required for eight essential mechanisms of change to support codesign processes and implementation is needed. Patient and Public Involvement: The State consumer (Victorian Mental Illness Awareness Council) and carer peak bodies (Tandem representing mental health carers) codeveloped the intervention. The adapted intervention was facilitated by coinvestigators with lived‐experiences who were coauthors for the trial and process evaluation protocols, the engagement model and explanatory model of change for the trial. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives The mental and physical health profile of autistic people has been studied in adolescence and adulthood, with elevated rates of most conditions being reported. However, this has been little studied taking a dimensional approach to autistic traits and in older age. Methods A total of 20,220 adults aged 50–81 years from the PROTECT study reported whether they experienced persistent sociocommunicative traits characteristic of autism. Approximately 1%, 276 individuals, were identified as endorsing elevated autistic traits in childhood and currently, henceforth the "Autism Spectrum Trait" (AST) group. An age- and gender-matched comparison group was formed of 10,495 individuals who did not endorse any autistic behavioral traits, henceforth the "Control Older Adults" (COA) group. Differences between AST and COA groups were explored in self-reported psychiatric diagnoses, self-reported symptoms of current depression and anxiety, and self-reported physical health diagnoses. Associations were also examined between autistic traits and health across the whole sample. Results The AST group reported significantly elevated rates of psychiatric diagnoses compared to the COA group. Additionally, the AST group showed significantly higher self-reported symptoms of current depression and anxiety than the COA group. However, few differences were observed in individual physical health conditions, and no differences in total co-occurring physical diagnoses between groups. Similar associations between autistic traits and health were also found taking a dimensional approach across the whole sample. Discussion These findings suggest that older adults with elevated autistic traits may be at greater risk of poorer mental, but not physical, health in later life. Future studies should incorporate polygenic scores to elucidate the possible genetic links between the propensity to autism/high autistic traits and to psychiatric conditions, and to explore whether those with elevated autistic traits experience particular barriers to mental health care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The quality of paid relationships is key for effective support, yet little is known about how people receiving and providing support understand and experience the relationship. This paper reports on recent research that explored the role of relationships with paid support workers in strengthening the rights and wellbeing of young people with cognitive disability in Australia. The research used photo-rich participatory methods with 42 pairs of young people and their support workers and drew on Honneth's recognition theory to specifically explore experiences of being valued, respected and cared about in their work together. The findings point to the importance of these connected aspects of recognition in paid support relationships, highlighting both the presence and absence of these, as well as experiences of misrecognition. The implications of recognition for strengthening support need close consideration in an international context characterised by personalisation of support, resource constraints and inquiries into poor practice. Relationships are key to good quality support. We wanted to know whether and how paid support relationships between young people with cognitive disability and support workers in Australia contribute to feeling valued, respected and cared about. Young people felt valued when the worker noticed what they did and found ways to help them achieve what they wanted to do. They felt respected when they could make decisions about choices and control over their lives. They felt cared about when they felt personal warmth, they were listened to, they felt their views mattered and they trusted each other. When young people felt harmed, they felt it deeply. The worker often did not intend to cause harm with their words or actions. The careless harm sometimes was from unequal power in the relationship. The inequality sometimes took away the voice of the young person. Sometimes the support worker also felt like their voice could not be heard. The research is important because how we feel about being with another person is key to how we know who we are. It develops the self-esteem, self-respect and self-confidence of the young person and the support worker. Knowing this matters for improving the quality of personal support. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Personal beliefs and attitudes about body weight and body image are important determinants of weight management practices. To inform efforts to prevent and treat obesity among autistic adults, this study examined how autistic adults perceive weight management, body weight, and body image. Eleven adults participated in semi-structured interviews. Consistent with an interpretive paradigm, an interpretative phenomenological analysis methodology was employed, resulting in four themes: (a) Mental and physical health: direct and indirect interactions, (b) ASD traits and health-related behaviors, (c) Body dissatisfaction: Unrealistic ideals and misperceptions, and (d) Sources of information. This study's findings have several implications for research and practice. First, participants viewed overweight and obesity as just one component of a holistic perspective of health. A dynamic, bidirectional relationship between mental health and physical health, including overweight/obesity was described, leading us to posit that the promotion of mental health is crucial for the promotion of overall health among autistic adults. Second, body dissatisfaction was pervasive among participants in this sample. This finding requires future research as it may be an important target for intervention, with relevance for mental health and weight management practices. Finally, interactions with medical professionals regarding weight management were perceived to be inadequate. Our beliefs and feelings about our bodies and our body weight influence our weight management behaviors, such as physical activity and eating behaviors. These beliefs and feelings are largely shaped by how we interact with, and compare ourselves to, people in our lives. Due to the social traits associated with autism, autistic adults may have different perceptions of body weight, body image, and weight management than neurotypical adults. To explore this, for the first time, we interviewed 11 autistic adults. The participants' perceptions can be summarized in four findings. First, the participants viewed overweight and obesity as just one part of their overall health. Participants described how their mental health and physical health, including overweight/obesity, were closely connected. Second, some traits related to autism made weight management difficult; for example, eating and physical activity were negatively impacted by social anxiety, sensory sensitivity, obsessiveness, and a strong desire for routine. Third, participants were generally dissatisfied with how they looked. This was primarily due to a disconnect between how they felt their body looked and how it actually looked in real life. Other people, including on social media, also negatively influenced how they perceived themselves. Fourth, and finally, participants described how they got most of their weight management-related information online. Medical professionals were frequently described as being unprepared to provide them assistance related to weight management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Diurnal bruxism among individuals with intellectual disabilities is often measured on the basis of its auditory products, thereby precluding the contingent presentation of stimuli during silent bruxism events. Electromyography (EMG) offers a technological solution to the identification of all bruxism events. EMG has not been previously evaluated in nonvocal clients with intellectual disabilities in the context of functional analysis and treatment. In the current series of analyses, we suggest a set of methods to implement EMG technology with this population. In Analysis 1, we propose a strategy for systematically identifying bruxism events. In Analysis 2 we evaluate an EMG staff-training package with naïve interventionists without past experience with EMG technology. Finally, Analysis 3 presents a practical example of this method during the functional analysis and treatment of a client with frequent diurnal bruxism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Students in K–12 settings who are identified with a Learning Disability (LD) often struggle with the formation of their self-identity within the traditional school setting. Because previous research has shown that play can be instrumental in the creation of a person's self-identity, play can be especially important for those who have a LD. This article presents the lived and told stories of play using narrative inquiry of five individuals who were identified with a LD during their K–12 experience. The stories are organized under a single plot line under the theme "islands of competence," a metaphor coined by Dr. Robert Brooks which highlights the importance of play in positive self-identity through social, recreational, and creative activities. Recommendations for counselors toward implementing play for clients with a LD based on the lived and told stories through narrative inquiry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Resilience, the ability to bounce back from a stressful situation, is a valuable asset for aiding adults with serious mental illness (SMI) in navigating the recovery process. People with SMI experience stress, including traumatic experiences at disproportionate rates. The purposes of this study were to examine the factor structure, internal reliability, and construct validity of the Brief Resilience Scale (BRS) among adults with SMI living in the community. Design: A cross‐sectional survey design was used. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA), confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), and correlational analyses were employed. Methods: Three hundred fifteen adults with SMI were recruited for two studies (Sample 1, n = 122; Sample 2, n = 193) from three states. All participants completed the BRS along with nearly identical positive psychology‐ and psychopathology‐related measures. Results: EFA revealed the BRS was unidimensional and explained 61.20% of the variance. Results from seven CFA models suggested a bifactor structure for the BRS, which fit the data best. Internal reliability of the BRS was computed to be within acceptable ranges (α =.87, ω =.90). The BRS was positively correlated with measures of positive coping and life satisfaction, providing convergent validity. Divergent validity was supported by negative correlations between the BRS and measures of psychiatric symptoms, succumbing, and self‐stigma. Conclusions: The BRS is a valid measure that can be used by clinical and research professionals to assess levels of resilience in adults with SMI at baseline and across time. Practitioner points: The Brief Resilience Scale (BRS) was developed to measure a person's ability to bounce back from stressful situations.The BRS was examined in adults with serious mental illness living in the community.The BRS presented a bifactor structure measuring resilience (an outcome) and correlated with positive psychology‐ and psychopathology‐related measures.The BRS can be used by practitioners to assess levels of resilience in their clients at baseline and over time to evaluate the effectiveness of therapeutic interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article aims to contribute to the debate on how different educational contexts can facilitate the inclusion or exclusion of people with intellectual disabilities (ID). We carried out a qualitative study based on the principles of inclusive research with 36 Spanish adults with ID. The data were gathered through individual interviews, which were transcribed, summarized, and adapted for later analysis and coding with participants. Together with participants, we coded the interviews into two main categories: "mainstream schools" and "special schools." The results revealed the experiences of people with ID in mainstream schools, resource rooms, and special education schools, analyzing their preferences for regular or special contexts. The main conclusions drawn suggest that people with ID had both negative and positive experiences of inclusion at mainstream schools. Nevertheless, they preferred regular contexts, valued the help provided by SEN support teachers, and highlighted the importance of adjusting the curriculum to students' educational needs. They also emphasized the need for greater empathy from classmates at mainstream schools. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The COVID-19 pandemic affected individuals, governments, and health care centers all around the globe. Social isolation obligation, restricted working shifts, and curfews posed unprecedented challenges for the population. Social isolation, boredom, and financial problems have been shown to stress peoples' mental health in previous comparable pandemics and even in regular situations. Individuals with a mental illness may particularly be at risk due to an already instable mental health status. While research mainly focused on the pandemic's impact on somatic health care and risk group patients, psychological obstacles caused by legal restrictions and their impact on already mentally affected individuals have been discussed, but so far only scarcely been investigated in a large sample. For this study, 12,028 people completed an online-survey during that time in Germany, when the COVID-19 outbreak gained momentum with a surge in cases and death rates as well as a lockdown of the public life. Generalized anxiety (GAD-7), depression (PHQ-2), distress (distress thermometer) and COVID-19-specific items, especially COVID-19-related fear, were assessed in healthy individuals, patients suffering from mental illnesses, and in patients with chronic somatic diseases, known to be at risk for an unfavorable course of COVID-19. Results show that the COVID-19-pandemic significantly worsens psychometric scores throughout the population – individuals with already heightened levels, like people with mental illnesses now reach concerning levels. Surprisingly, even though generalized anxiety, depressive symptoms, and perceived distress are elevated in individuals with mental illness, these individuals seem to be less affected by explicit COVID-19-related fear, than the general population or individuals with chronic somatic diseases. This study thus objectively quantifies the psychological impact of COVID-19 in a large sample and provides evidence for not only the public, but also critically affected individuals with a mental illness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Personal recovery has become a guiding paradigm in mental health services. Most research on recovery is based on the exploration of personal stories of service users through verbal methods. As not everyone with psychiatric problems is able to verbally formulate a recovery narrative, the current study assesses personal recovery through PhotoVoice, with emphasis on visualisation, small stories and participation. Two ten-week groups were conducted with 18 participants living with severe mental illnesses. They participated in both the collection and analysis of visual narratives. Across the images produced by participants, four main recovery themes were found : People, Places, Activities and Finding Meaning. Compared to other frameworks, the emphasis participants put on the theme Places adds value to the understanding of recovery processes. Furthermore, participants showed that recovery is about dealing with vulnerabilities as well as aspiring a meaningful life. This study demonstrates that exploring visual narratives is powerful within recovery oriented mental health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Persons with profound intellectual disability (PID) are mostly not able to use assistive technology (AT) independently. Caregivers play an important mediating role in implementing AT in the daily life of persons with PID. Both first-order barriers, extrinsic to caregivers, and second-order barriers, intrinsic to caregivers, influence the attitudes and behaviors of caregivers with regard to AT-use. It could be asked if increased knowledge on and experience with AT may impact the effect of first- and second-order barriers. This study investigated how knowledge and experience influence the professional caregivers' beliefs about which factors may impact the AT use in persons with PID and their intentions to use AT for persons with PID. A questionnaire on the experienced limitations and successes in using AT was developed. The questionnaire was send to professionals working with or responsible for persons with PID in various countries in Europe. In total the answers of 195 respondents were included in this study. This study's results demonstrate that AT is used for various reasons in persons with PID, mostly to support communication and interaction or for fun or relaxation. Based on the answers of the respondents can be concluded that both experience and knowledge of caregivers seem to influence first- and second-order barriers. Besides, a possibility to overcome the second-order barriers is to provide professionals with possibilities to increase their knowledge and experience. AT for persons with PID is mostly used for communication and interaction or for fun and relaxation. Professional caregivers belief that AT-use may positively influence various aspects in the life of persons with PID, especially communication and interaction, active engagement and participation in activities, and self-esteem of the person. Caregivers need to have sufficient experience in order to rate the barriers of AT-use as less limited in the group of persons with PID. In order to overcome the barriers experienced in implementing AT in persons with PID, knowledge of caregivers is essential. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The aim of the paper is to assess whether participation in a two-session workshop led by self-advocates with mild intellectual disability (ID), supported by professional staff, affects high school students' impression of people with ID, measured by a self-report questionnaire based on a semantic differential. Design/methodology/approach: The study was paper-pencil questionnaire-based and anonymous, conducted in Warsaw, Poland. Three measurements were performed using two semantic differentials – two weeks before the workshop, one day and three months afterward. In total, 50 high school students in the workshop group and 43 students in the control group took part in the study. Findings: After the workshop, people with ID were perceived as more calm, compliant and adult and this change was not observed in the control group. Research limitations/implications: The picture of people with ID after the workshop may probably have been even more complex than before. However, the study focuses on a specific intervention and does not include data about other, similar meetings led in another school and by other self-advocates. Practical implications: It is worthy to design anti-discriminatory workshops led by the self-advocates to impact the perceptions of people with ID. The particular intervention would benefit from alterations. Social implications: Workshops performed by self-advocates with ID may be promising in terms of limiting stereotype formation in target groups of workshops. Originality/value: This research fills the gap in the longitudinal studies on the changes in the impressions about people with ID following an intervention based on personal contact. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Performing work is regarded as a key factor in the social inclusion of vulnerable persons. However, such social inclusion appears to be problematic in both mainstream and segregated settings. We aimed to examine whether volunteer work in integrated settings could be a suitable alternative. In a case study, we interviewed 13 vulnerable persons who were enabled—through a "Quarter Making" intervention—to perform volunteer work in a community setting. Data were analyzed using concepts from social epidemiology and social sciences. Findings: Participation in the community gave respondents structure, and made them feel useful, meaningful, and proud, as well as a useful interconnected part of society. Interpersonal relationships provided them with superficial but meaningful contacts in the community, and helped them to transcend their social group, and—sometimes—build friendships. These experiences of improved social inclusion resulted in respondents reporting better mental health and wellbeing, and speaking in terms of feeling more normal and—sometimes—in terms of recovery. Applications: To improve the social inclusion of vulnerable persons, performing volunteer work in integrated settings could be a suitable alternative for mainstream work or work in segregated settings. Interventions aimed at matching vulnerable persons to integrated settings, like Quarter Making, should preferably find a balance between creating bridging capital, to allow vulnerable persons to connect to "the normal world," and offering bonding capital, to give them a safe place where they can "learn and relearn" to deal with the demands of modern society. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: It is unknown whether and how poverty influences the long-term outcome of persons with severe mental illness (SMI). Aims: To explore the change of poverty status in persons with SMI from 1994 to 2015 and examine the impact of poverty status on patients' outcome in rural China. Method: Two mental health surveys using identical methods and International Classification of Disease (ICD-10) were conducted in 1994 and 2015 in the same six townships of Xinjin County, Chengdu, China. Results: The annual net income per person was 19.8% and 100.2% higher for the general population than for persons with SMI in 1994 and 2015 respectively. Compared with 1994 (48.2%), persons with SMI in 2015 had significantly higher rates of poor family economic status (

Innovative technological solutions are increasingly being introduced into psychotherapy. Understanding service user perspectives is a key aspect in adapting this technology to treatment. This study investigated service users' personal experience of the utility, challenges, and rewards of using an mHealth solution in cognitive behavioral therapy for psychosis (CBTp). People participating in an early intervention program for psychosis (n = 16) utilized the mHealth solution for up to 6 months. Semi-structured qualitative interviews were conducted to capture participant experiences, and quantitative data were collected on psychopathology, usage, and quality of the solution. The solution was widely accepted and utilized in treatment. Four dominant themes were constructed from the interviews: (a) Accessibility and supporting recall, (b) Promotion of dialogue with the therapist, (c) Encouraging reflection, and (d) Factors that affected engagement with the solution. The mHealth solution was perceived as facilitating psychotherapeutic processes and supported underlying CBTp treatment principles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Unpredictability, the risk of harm and possibility of rewards, are integral elements of encounter. Risk literature offers insight on the complex ways in which risk perceptions and attunements shape behaviours and interactions in encounter between people with and without intellectual disability. The paper draws on risk literature, encounter literature, and examples from the authors' previously published studies on encounter and work integrated social enterprises. Encounters between people with and without intellectual disability are shaped by perceptions of possible rewards and harms skills and experience in attunement to risk signals; disposition towards, and strategies of, risk aversion, management or enablement and environmental attributes of encounter settings. There is a need to shift community and disability services' understanding of risk in encounter, by developing a positive appreciation of encounter risk, and development of risk enablement strategies that are learned through experiential practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While recovery has become a popular framework for mental health services, there is limited understanding of its applicability outside of Western countries. In fact, recent studies in non-Anglophone populations suggest that recovery is contextually dependent and that the implementation of mainstream recovery models risks imposing inappropriate values. We used classic grounded theory to explore the main concerns of mental health service users in a Middle Eastern context and the strategies they use to resolve those concerns. The theory of 'reciprocity membership', a process involving ongoing mutual exchange with a group or community, was developed. Reciprocity membership becomes balanced when an individual is satisfied with their 'contribution to' the group, the 'acknowledgement from' other group members, the 'expectations of' the group, and their 'alignment with' the values of the group. Balance among these conditions is appraised by a sub-process called 'valuing', and developed or maintained by two further sub-processes called 'positioning' and 'managing relationships'. Balanced reciprocity membership seems to be associated with recovery. This study is the first in-depth exploration of people's experience of mental illness in a Middle Eastern context; findings provide evidence for a novel potential pathway towards recovery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the article, the author discusses their experiences in treating and finding a care home for their patient with serious schizophrenia to examine the issues facing patients with serious mental illnesses in the U.S. Also cited is the importance of the Community Mental Health Act of 1963 in allowing community mental health facilities to help in the care of mental health patients.

Background: This study argues for displays of affect by people with severe or profound intellectual disabilities to be analysed in the course of everyday interactions with the people who support them. Method: Conversation analysis is applied to the affective displays of residents of a social care service for people with severe or profound intellectual disabilities to identify how such displays are taken up and form the basis for further action. Results: Three types of orientations to affect are identified: where the cause of the affect is unknown; where there is a proximal cause; and where the proximal cause is a prior action by a member of staff. Staff orient to affect as expressions of both feelings and cognitions, thereby providing the basis for self‐determination. Conclusions: Displays of affect are a communicative resource for those with severe or profound impairments and must be studied in situ if they are to inform policy and everyday practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Recovery is a widely accepted paradigm in mental health care, whilst the correctional and forensic–psychiatric field is still searching for foundations for its implementation. Knowledge regarding recovery of persons with intellectual disabilities in secure contexts is limited. This study assesses recovery needs and resources among persons with intellectual disabilities labelled not criminally responsible and investigates the impact of the judicial label on recovery processes. Methods: A sample of 26 individuals was composed purposively, and in‐depth interviews were conducted. Recurrent themes were identified using thematic analysis. Results: Traditional recovery themes emerged from the narratives, next to aspects of recovery in a forensic or correctional context. However, the operationalization and proportional impact are specific for this sample. Conclusions: The social dimension overarches all other recovery dimensions. The integration of an explicit social rhetoric is imperative, including contextual, relational, interactional and societal dimensions. This offers pathways to reverse the traditional, paternalistic model of exclusion and classification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The cognitive and behavioural profile associated with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) includes difficulties with social interaction, communication and empathy. Each of these may present barriers to effective participation in sexual offending treatment, leading to poorer outcomes. Method: Semi‐structured interviews were conducted with 13 men with autism and an intellectual disability (including the borderline range) who had completed an adapted sex offender treatment programme. Grounded Theory was used to explore the men's experiences of treatment and perceptions of risk. Results: The men's perceptions of sexual risk were inextricably linked to constructs of identity and shaped their opinions of treatment effectiveness. Risk of reoffending was conveyed through narratives of changes in self and circumstances and included notions of blame and culpability. Conclusions: The findings illustrated some clear benefits for men with ASD associated with attending adapted sex offender treatment programmes, including delivery of treatment within groups and opportunities for social development. The study supports the view that difficulties with empathy and cognitive flexibility complicates treatment for sexual offending. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Previous research studies have assessed the relationship between attention to social information and peripheral (e.g., plasma and salivary) oxytocin (OT) levels in typically developing (TD) children and children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). A relationship between them was observed in TD children, but not in children with ASD. However, this relationship remains unexamined in other age groups. To clarify whether this lack of association is maintained throughout development in individuals with ASD, we aimed to assess the relationship between salivary OT levels and attention to social information in adolescents and adults with and without ASD. Methods: We recruited male adolescents and adults with ASD (n = 17) and TD participants (n = 24). Using the all-in-one eye-tracking system Gazefinder, we measured the percentage fixation time allocated to social information. We also measured the salivary OT levels and Autism Spectrum Quotient (AQ) of participants. Subsequently, we confirmed group differences and conducted a correlation analysis to investigate the relationships between these three measures. Results: Salivary OT levels did not show any significant difference between the ASD and TD groups and were negatively correlated with the AQ in the whole-group analysis, but not in within-group analysis. Individuals with ASD had significantly lower percentage fixation times than did TD individuals for eye regions in human faces with/without mouth motion, for upright biological motion, and for people regions in the people and geometry movies. The percentage of fixation for geometric shapes in the people and geometry movies was significantly higher in the ASD than in the TD group. In the TD group, salivary OT levels were positively correlated with percentage fixation times for upright biological motion and people and negatively correlated with inverted biological motion and geometry. However, no significant correlations were found in the ASD group. Conclusions: Our exploratory results suggest that salivary OT levels in adolescents and adults with ASD are less indicative of attention to social stimuli than they are in TD adolescents and adults. It is suggested that their association is slightly weaker in adolescents and adults with ASD and that this attenuated relationship appears to be maintained throughout development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

People with a mental illness may be exposed to stigma which, when internalised, negatively influences self-esteem, personal goal attainment and quality of life. Avoiding the use of stigmatising language and using terminology that does not exclude the positive characteristics of the individual may play an important role in challenging stigma. This study involved a mixed method approach to identify the terminology preferences of people with a mental illness in Australia. N = 173 participants were recruited via convenience sampling. The humanistic terms 'individual' and 'person with lived experience' were identified as the preferred terms. Qualitatively there was a wide variation in how the terms made the respondents think or feel, with only one of the terms – 'survivor,' having solely negative themes. When contrasting the two most commonly used clinical terms, 'client' was significantly preferred to 'patient'. The term 'consumer' was one of the least preferred terms. This suggests that the use of this term, which is in regular use in Australia, should be reconsidered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accessible summary: This article is about reaching out to people with learning disabilities to participate in research on sensitive topics, like contraception. Contraception is a way to prevent pregnancy.The article shows that working with organisations can help to find and support people with learning disabilities to take part in research.The article explores what research teams need to do when working with organisations to find and support research participants. Background: Contraceptive use by women with learning disabilities differs from that of nondisabled women of a similar age. Women with learning disabilities start contraception earlier and often use it when they are not sexually active. Hence, there is a need to hear directly from these women about their experiences of contraceptive decision‐making. However, accessing women to discuss a sensitive topic such as contraception poses significant challenges to researchers. Materials and Methods: The study was qualitative in nature and involved conducting semi‐structured interviews with 19 women. This paper reports on the methodological challenges and findings from the project which have wider implications for research on sensitive topics with hard‐to‐reach groups. It reflects critically on the challenges of accessing women with learning disabilities to participate in research on contraception. Results: Twelve of the 19 participants in our project were recruited through two organisations. Working in partnership with organisations that had a keen interest in the research and endorsed it at senior level enabled us to overcome recruitment challenges. However, working in this way raised gatekeeping issues that impacted upon data collection and may have affected our substantive findings. Conclusions: Working in partnership with organisations can be an effective and practical way of recruiting participants that researchers may otherwise find hard to reach. However, organisational partnerships can be hard to develop and take time. We argue that it is important to reflect openly and honestly about the methodological and ethical issues that may arise when working closely with organisations in sensitive research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accessible Summary: People with disabilities often do research. Sometimes, they work together with people with academic training. Sometimes, working together can be challenging.A researcher with academic training and a co‐researcher with a disability worked together to do interviews.This paper is about how we worked together. We talk about how the co‐researcher with a disability got hired, did ethics training and dealt with transportation and his schedule. We also talk about how we worked together to make sure it was easy for him to do the interviews.This paper might help other research teams figure out how to do interviews together. Background: People with disabilities are increasingly involved in research. Our understanding of how to support co‐researchers with disabilities has grown since the 1990s. However, research teams have reported challenges in ensuring authentic collaboration. We report on the collaboration between an academic researcher and a co‐researcher with a disability to conduct interviews with other co‐researchers about their experiences in inclusive research. Methods: The academic researcher took fieldnotes throughout the research. Together, she and the co‐researcher audio‐recorded "debriefs" after each interview. The academic researcher reviewed all fieldnotes and transcribed "debriefs." Together, the academic researcher and co‐researcher listened to and reflected on the audio‐recorded debriefs. Results: In this reflective manuscript, we discuss the hiring process, ethics training, logistical challenges and tools we developed to support the co‐researcher in his role. We also discuss challenges, including the academic researcher's difficulty eliciting critical feedback from the co‐researcher. This manuscript includes both the voice of the academic researcher and the co‐researcher. Conclusion: Our research process was supported by our prior relationship, accessible processes, and time for training and reflective practice. We call attention to the importance of establishing trust and methods to elicit critical feedback from co‐researchers. We also discuss logistical challenges and the impact of methodological choices on research collaborations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accessible Summary: This article is about easy‐to‐read information and how to make sure that it is really accessible for people with intellectual disability.We carried out research in a day centre and spoke to service users and staff about how they use easy‐to‐read information.We found that there are a lot of factors which influence the lives of service users with intellectual disability and the use of easy‐to‐read documents. Background: This article presents research on the use of easy‐to‐read documents to ensure meaningful access to information for persons with intellectual disability. The research questions focus on the factors that influence the use of easy‐to‐read documents and what needs to be considered to ensure that these documents are used meaningfully. Materials and Methods: A case study was carried out in a day centre for persons with intellectual disability in Malta, using a focus group, an interview and an observation session as research tools. Thematic analysis was used to analyse the data, in conjunction with the social model of disability and an adapted version of Bronfenbrenner's ecosystem model. Results: The research found that the effectiveness of easy‐to‐read documents is contingent on a multiplicity of factors which interact with one another. Conclusion: Easy‐to‐read forms can become more meaningful if these factors are attended to within the wider context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accessible summary: Ten people with learning disabilities were trained to work with a university to carry out research about people with learning disabilities, arts and culture.They spoke to 82 people with learning disabilities to find out what gets in the way of attending arts and culture activities.The research found that transport, cost and needing support often got in the way of people being able to go to activities and people needed to feel safe and welcomed when they attend an arts and culture activity.It was found that including more people with learning disabilities in making decisions about art and culture could help more people attend activities. It was also found that involving more people with learning disabilities in training people who work in arts and culture could help people feel safe when they go to activities. Background: Arts and culture have proven benefits. However, access to arts and culture is not consistent. For people with learning disabilities, arts and culture are often considered therapeutic activities, and therefore, the needs of people with learning disabilities in accessing mainstream arts and culture are often overlooked. This research explores how people with learning disabilities experience culture, the barriers they experience in accessing it and how cultural sector organisations can improve access to their activities and events. Methods: A participatory action research approach was adopted for the study. Interviews and focus groups were conducted. The findings were analysed and resulting themes discussed with the peer research team. The group codelivered a workshop aimed at representatives from the cultural sector to share their findings. Results: The results from the focus groups and interviews indicated that for people with learning disabilities, community is central to their experience of arts and culture. The study found that transport, cost and needing support to attend cultural activities were barriers to access, whereas consideration of physical access and "emotional access" needs improved access for people with learning disabilities. Recommendations include improved consultation with people with learning disabilities about cultural opportunities and the formation of cocreated training delivered with people with learning disabilities to support cultural sector staff to offer a warm and safe environment. Conclusions: The findings from the study provided useful learning for cultural sector organisations. However, both the findings of the research and the process of participatory action research were noted as being significant for how the cultural sector can build an ethos of inclusivity to ensure their offer is relevant and accessible to people with learning disabilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This qualitative study used a grounded theory approach to explore the lived experience of psychotropic medication use in the recovery process of 18 participants who had a diagnosis of schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, or major depression but who were successful in recovery without ongoing medication use. Participants' narratives depicted a continuum of medication experiences in their recovery process centered on three key recovery factors identified by participants: basic functioning, deeper healing, and hope for recovery. For each recovery factor, participants' experiences ranged from perceiving medication as promoting recovery to perceiving medication as impeding their recovery, with mixed experiences in between. Findings suggested that the role of medication in recovery is multifaceted and individualized. Mental health providers should avoid a one-size-fits-all philosophy on medication for major mental health conditions, and should be responsive to individual situations and needs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: This study evaluated the role of adaptive behaviour, individual variables (age, gender and problem behaviours) and environmental variables (living arrangements, employment status and city dimension) in affecting the quality of life of individuals with IDD measured from third‐party (caregiver) and individuals with IDD' perspective. Method: For 93 adults with an IDD diagnosis (47% males) aged 19–65 years, third‐party and participants' perspective on participants' quality of life (Personal Outcome Scale), adaptive behaviour (Vineland‐II scale), problem behaviours (PIMRA and DASH‐II scales), and individual and environmental variables were collected. Results: Adaptive behaviour was the main determinant of quality of life for individuals with IDD. The effect of adaptive behaviour was significant and relevant from both third‐party and participants' perspectives. Problem behaviours had a modest negative impact on the quality of life. Conclusions: Adaptive behaviour is relevant for planning support and interventions for people with IDD to increase their quality of life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The use of remote support technologies is a newer form of service that can contribute to increased independence while giving adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities a sense of home safety. This research reviewed the use of remote support services, which is a waiver service that includes smart home technologies and remote support staff that can be called upon, when needed. Method: Using focus groups and telephone interviews, the present authors asked users of remote support services about their experience, including what they liked most and least about their experience with these technologies. Results: Overall, increased independence and a sense of security and home safety were identified as the two principal benefits. Remote support technologies may be a part of the solution to addressing the lack of direct support professionals available to provide in‐home care. Conclusions: The present authors discuss the benefits of remote support technologies and offer recommendations for future research regarding remote support technologies and the potential benefits of this newer form of support service. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Understanding the positive qualities of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities can provide a much‐needed counterpoint to deficit‐based depictions of disability. Method: This study examined how 163 young adults (ages 18–30) viewed the strengths of their brothers and sisters with intellectual disability or autism using the Assessment Scale for Positive Character Traits‐Developmental Disabilities (Woodard, 2009). In addition, the authors examined factors that may shape their perspectives. Results: Overall, siblings' ratings of strengths were moderate to high, indicating an overall portrait of strengths. The majority of brothers and sisters with disabilities was described as having multiple strengths and their profiles on this measure were highly individualized. Lower overall ratings were associated with several variables, including not using speech as a primary mode of communication, exhibiting challenging behaviours, having autism and not currently living together. Conclusions: The authors offer recommendations for future research and practice related to supporting siblings with and without disabilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Adults with intellectual disability experience high rates of falls making falls prevention an important health need. The purpose of the study was to seek perspectives of older adults with intellectual disability and their caregivers to (a) explore the experiences of older adults with intellectual disability when seeking healthcare services after a fall and (b) identify enablers and barriers when taking up evidence‐based falls recommendations. Method: A qualitative exploratory study was undertaken as part of a prospective observational cohort study. Semi‐structured interviews were conducted with a purposeful sample. Data were analysed thematically using Colaizzi's method. Results: Seventeen interviews were conducted (n = 21). Emergent themes demonstrated that participants had limited knowledge about falls prevention. Enablers included individualizing falls prevention strategies. Barriers included not being offered access to established falls prevention pathways. Conclusion: There is an urgent need to develop high‐quality falls prevention services for older adults with intellectual disability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: People with Down syndrome (PDS) have complex healthcare needs. Little is known about the quality of health care for PDS, let alone how it is appraised by PDS and their caregivers. This study explores the perspectives of PDS, their parents and support staff regarding quality in health care for PDS. Method: The present authors conducted semi‐structured interviews with 18 PDS and 15 parents, and focus groups with 35 support staff members (of PDS residing in assisted living facilities) in the Netherlands. Results: According to the participants, healthcare quality entails well‐coordinated health care aligned with other support and care systems, a person‐centred and holistic approach, including respect, trust and provider–patient communication adapted to the abilities of PDS. Conclusions: Our findings may be used to improve health care for PDS, and provide insight into how health care could match the specific needs of PDS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The Scale of Emotional Development—Short (SED‐S) is an instrument to assess the level of emotional development (ED) in people with intellectual and developmental disability. Index cases are developed as a didactic tool to standardize the application of the scale. Method: In a stepwise process, a European working group from six countries developed five index cases, one for each level of ED. All cases were first scored by 20 raters using the SED‐S and then rephrased to reduce inter‐rater variations (SD > 0.5). Results: All five index cases yielded overall ratings that matched the intended level of ED. Across the range of ED, Regulating Affect needed rephrasing most to ensure a distinct description within each level of ED. Conclusions: The tri‐lingual, cross‐cultural evolution of five index cases contributes to a standardized application of the SED‐S and can serve as training material to improve the inter‐rater reliability of the SED‐S across different cultures and languages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Youth with ADHD are more at-risk for peer victimization than their typically developing peers, and may not be benefiting from current interventions. Thus, we sought to examine risk (i.e., anxiety, depression, and forms of aggression) and protective (i.e., social skills and social acceptance) factors for peer victimization in this group. Participants were 123 young adolescents diagnosed with ADHD, who were attending grades six through eight. We found that relational aggression (i.e., excluding others from activities) and anxiety symptoms were among the strongest risk factors for victimization. Anxiety symptoms were associated with victimization over and above depressive symptoms. Social acceptance buffered risk conferred by the risk factors. Future work is needed to investigate the degree to which the relations among internalizing symptoms and victimization differ in youth with ADHD relative to typically developing youth, and assess causality of the relations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Common mental disorders are strong risk factors for suicide attempt. We compared common mental disorder patients with and without suicide attempt regarding health care utilization and psychiatric medication, assessed gender differences and identified how psychotropic medication of attempters is associated with subsequent rehospitalization. Methods: We used administrative claims data of 22,276 common mental disorder patients with inpatient care in Lower Austria between 1 January 2006 and 31 December 2011. Suicide attempters (cases, n = 615) and non-attempters (controls, n = 21,661) were compared regarding specific healthcare utilization by calculating mean differences of time-dependent contact probabilities and psychiatric medication (i.e. prescribed defined daily doses) ± 0.5 years around their suicide attempt (cases)/common mental disorder diagnosis (controls). Cluster analysis was used to group suicide attempters according to their psychiatric medication. The risk of rehospitalization 0.5–3 years after the attempt was calculated with regression analysis controlling for sex, age and morbidity-related factors. Results: Contacts with general practitioners were lower for attempters than non-attempters (mean difference of contact probabilities over observation period, males = −0.05, 95% confidence interval = [−0.07, −0.03]; females: mean difference = −0.04, 95% confidence interval = [−0.05, −0.03]). Regarding psychiatrists, female attempters had markedly higher contact probabilities after the attempt compared to female non-attempters (mean difference = 0.02, 95% confidence interval = [0.007, 0.04]); male attempters had lower contact probabilities before the attempt compared to male non-attempters (mean difference = −0.01, 95% confidence interval = [−0.004, −0.02]). Attempters had higher dosages of psychiatric medication across the entire period. Antidepressant and antipsychotic medication peaked at the time of common mental disorder diagnosis/attempt. Benzodiazepine prescriptions were considerably higher for male attempters than their female counterparts and were constantly elevated for male attempters across the observation period. A cluster of attempters with long-term benzodiazepine prescriptions had an increased risk of rehospitalization (adjusted odds ratio = 2.4, 95% confidence interval = [1.1, 5.5]). Conclusion: Despite lower contact probabilities, common mental disorder patients with suicide attempt are prescribed more psychiatric medication, particularly benzodiazepines, with an elevated risk of rehospitalization. Strong sex differences were found. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: The Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) was adopted at the United Nations Assembly in 2006. The main aim of the convention is to ensure equal rights for people with disabilities including the expression of people's own "will and preferences" concerning health treatment. Article 12 demands the respect of a person's "rights, will and preferences" (CRPD) and suggests supported decision making (SDM) when possible. The aim of this review was to gather information regarding the SDM implementation from a clinical perspective for people with mental health disorders. Methods: A systematic literature search was performed on electronic databases MEDLINE, PsycARTICLES, and PsycINFO using the keywords "supported decision making" and "UN convention on the rights of persons with disabilities" in March 2018. Results: Eleven articles were included in the final review, which focussed on three themes: (1) different models of SDM, (2) stakeholder views, and (3) challenges for implementation. A limited number of papers described clinical models that had good theoretical consistency with SDM. The main challenges of implementation related to critical situations when "will and preferences" are poorly understood or appear contradictory. Future studies should assess specific models of SDM implementation, including related outcomes and process measures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While sexual and other forms of abuse constitute significant problems with people with intellectual disability (ID), there is limited evidence to guide psychologists working with this population. The research involved a qualitative, interview‐based study of six clinical psychologists' views on supporting people with ID who experienced abuse. Four topics relating to service provision were explored using thematic analysis (Braun & Clark, 2006). Five overarching themes were identified. These were (1) therapeutic adaptations and creativity, (2) invalidation and exclusion, (3) too many "catch all" approaches, (4) absence of supports, and (5) mixed attitudes in approaching abuse. In the absence of a sufficient evidence base, there is great variance in therapeutic supports offered to individuals with an abuse history. A number of issues, such as the importance of supervision, the potential for acquiescence, and the need for greater definition of the role of psychologists and staff are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Current research on sexual violence perpetrated against individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) focuses on rates of victimization and individual risk factors. This research suggests that individuals with IDD are at a greater risk for sexual violence compared with the general public. At this time, there is no comprehensive theoretical framework to explain sexual abuse risk factors for individuals with IDD. This article describes such a framework by examining how an ecological perspective can be used to understand why individuals with IDD are at increased risk as well as provide a roadmap for how to prevent sexual abuse. An ecological framework, first introduced by Bronfenbrenner in 1979, examines individuals at multiple contextual levels. Current research on sexual violence and adults with IDD is reviewed through an ecological lens. We argue that an ecological approach is necessary for examining the nature of sexual violence and IDD, understanding why individuals with IDD are at a greater risk for sexual violence, and providing insight into how to prevent sexual violence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In recent years, increased attention has been directed towards the importance of identifying the future goals of people with intellectual disability (ID) and promoting their abilities to design their future. Consistent with these, the first aim of this study is to investigate the future goals of people with ID in terms of content and temporal distance. Moreover, the second aim of this study is to test the predictive role of self‐determination on the number of future goals reported by people with ID. Methods: In this study, 96 young adults with ID were involved and a mixed method design was chosen. Specifically, qualitative procedures (consensual qualitative analyses) and quantitative procedures (structural equation modelling) were carried out. Results: The results showed that the future goals of people with ID are characterised by different factors related to autonomy, health/well‐being, interpersonal relations and personal growth. Moreover, self‐determination (assessed with Self‐Determination Questionnaire—Version for Adults) predicts a higher number of future goals reported by people with ID. Conclusions: These results suggest the importance of providing adequate support to the development of self‐determination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Longitudinal data on medication use in adults with intellectual disability (ID) are scarce. We describe the longitudinal use of and factors associated with psychotropic medication prescribing in adults with ID living in the Australian community. Methods: Longitudinal data were obtained from adults with ID in the community in Queensland, Australia, between 1999 and 2015. Participant characteristics and medication use information were extracted from baseline questionnaires and health check booklets. Logistic regression was used to investigate the associations between participant characteristics and psychotropic medication use, commencement or cessation. Results: Longitudinal data were available for 138 participants on 697 reviews. The proportion of participants prescribed psychotropic medications increased from 43% to 54% between 1999 and 2015. The rates of commencement and cessation of psychotropic medications between consecutive time periods ranged from 9% to 18% and 7% to 15%, respectively. Challenging behaviour was associated with psychotropic medication use (adjusted odds ratio = 4.1; 95% confidence interval: 2.1–7.9). Presence of challenging behaviour, either consistent or newly identified, was positively associated with ongoing use or commencement of psychotropic medications. Conclusions: Psychotropic medications are commonly prescribed to adults with ID. Challenging behaviour is positively associated with ongoing use and commencement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Disability activists emerged as an important influence over the first decade of the new millennium in postcommunist Central and Eastern Europe, a particularly critical time for progress in human rights and services for people with mental disabilities in that part of the world. An entrenched custodial institutional infrastructure existed for children and adults with mental disabilities in communist Central and Eastern Europe between the 1940s and the fall of communism in 1989. Activists who emerged in the subsequent postcommunist era faced multiple challenges and important new opportunities in their efforts to address human rights and quality of life for citizens with mental disabilities. Critical to their efforts were new civil society freedoms that allowed for the establishment of nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), which had previously been prohibited. Those activists and NGOs tended to represent one of two distinct missions: Either a focus on human rights protection with a watch-dog function, or an emphasis on service-provision and community-based support. Across both types of activism and NGO missions, the goal to reduce the imposition of custodial institutional life on people with mental disabilities was a priority. In addition to the history of mental disability activism in postcommunist Central and Eastern Europe, this article addresses the implications for American psychologists involved in cross-cultural and international work in disability issues, and notes the challenges facing psychologists who are engaged in both activism and the profession. This overview is based on an extended body of work that clarified the role of activists in promoting human rights and services for people with mental disabilities in postcommunist Central and Eastern Europe. The conclusions of that work demonstrate the emergence of mental disability as an international human rights concern and emphasize the importance of civil society freedoms for activism addressing mental disabilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The aim of this study is to explore the ways in which "small things" may be of importance for people with mental health difficulties. Method: Empirical material from three different studies was reanalysed through a phenomenological, dialogical, approach. Results: We discovered some paradoxical aspects of small things: i.e., they could be about "something" that was difficult or even impossible to identify. The unidentifiable could be about bodily, sensual experiences that are superficial (i.e., belonging to the surface). The interaction with others highlighted as significant could be about doing something fun, talking nonsense or kidding around, and hence not at all about making sense of something—a kind of important nonsense. We summarize these aspects in three themes: the importance of the unidentifiable, the superficial and nonsense. These aspects can be regarded as small things—even "nothings"—that make it possible "to stay in the world". Conclusion: We elaborate on the findings in relation to the following: Gumbrecht's critique of the prevailing hermeneutic world-view with its idea that "interpretation is humankind's exclusive way of relating to the world", Ingold's idea that social life is lived in relations of "interfacility" and hence a turn to surfaces is needed for a "restoration of social life", and Biesta's idea of existence as "coming into the world in the presence of others". [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) often experience difficulty in comprehending metaphors compared to individuals with typical development (TD). However, there is a large variation in the results across studies, possibly related to the properties of the metaphor tasks. This preregistered systematic review and meta-analysis (a) explored the properties of the metaphor tasks used in ASD research, and (b) investigated the group difference between individuals with ASD and TD on metaphor comprehension, as well as the relationship between the task properties and any between-study variation. A systematic search was undertaken in seven relevant databases. Fourteen studies fulfilled our predetermined inclusion criteria. Across tasks, we detected four types of response format and a great variety of metaphors in terms of familiarity, syntactic structure, and linguistic context. Individuals with TD outperformed individuals with ASD on metaphor comprehension (Hedges' g = −0.63). Verbal explanation response format was utilized in the study showing the largest effect size in the group comparison. However, due to the sparse experimental manipulations, the role of task properties could not be established. Future studies should consider and report task properties to determine their role in metaphor comprehension, and to inform experimental paradigms as well as educational assessment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This systematic review was undertaken to determine the effectiveness of motivational interviewing (MI), by social workers, on service user outcomes. Methods: A literature search was undertaken between 2007 and 2018. All eligible studies were analyzed using the Critical Appraisal Skills Programme tool. As heterogeneity was high, a narrative synthesis approach was employed, using thematic analysis for categorizing data. Results: Eleven studies met the inclusion criteria and were included in this review. MI had a positive effect on service user experience, but this was not consistent. Training was variable, but the evidence suggests that practitioner's need ongoing training, supervision, or coaching while providing MI. Discussion: There is a paucity of research examining the impact of MI on children, which was a limitation of this review. There is a need for more qualitative research to surface views and experience of service users to determine why MI is effective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Most research regarding youth with autism spectrum disorder has not focused on their first-person perspectives providing limited insight into methodologies best suited to eliciting their voices. We conducted a synthesis of methods previously used to obtain the first-person perspectives of youth with various disabilities, which may be applicable to youth with autism spectrum disorder. Two-hundred and eighty-four articles met the inclusion criteria of our scoping review. We identified six distinct primary methods (questionnaires, interviews, group discussion, narratives, diaries, and art) expressed through four communication output modalities (language, sign language and gestures, writing, and images). A group of parents who have children with autism spectrum disorder were then presented with a synthesis of results. This parent consultation was used to build on approaches identified in the literature. Parents identified barriers that may be encountered during participant engagement and provided insights on how best to conduct first-person research with youth with autism spectrum disorder. Based on our findings, we present a novel methodological framework to capture the perspectives of youth with various communication and cognitive abilities, while highlighting family, youth, and expert contributions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: To explore family member and staff perceptions of clients' experiences of stigma and discrimination, in those living with severe and persistent mental illness in an Assertive Community Treatment Team. Method: This qualitative study used the Discrimination and Stigma Scale to conduct structured face-to-face and telephone interviews of family members and healthcare professionals, working with the Assertive Outreach Team (AOT) (an Assertive Community Treatment Team) of a northern inner suburban catchment of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. Results: Forty-one people participated in the study (23 AOT clinical staff members and 18 family members). Family and clinical staff commonly reported stigma and discrimination amongst their relatives and clients, respectively. Four overarching themes emerged from the data: (1) appearance and behaviour, (2) avoidance and being shunned, (3) key areas of life affected by discrimination and (4) impacts of discrimination and skills to cope with discrimination. Conclusion: Reports of stigma and discrimination were common, yet varied between groups with clinical staff commonly witnessing experiences and impacts of discrimination in everyday life, with families' reports being substantially less. Due to the strong advocacy and support provided by the AOT model, clinical staff often buffered experiences of stigma and discrimination. Further research is needed to explore effective interventions to reduce experiences of discrimination in this population group. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]