Continuum between Relational and Therapeutic Models of Self-help in Mental Health: A Qualitative Approach

Poetry in youth mutual aid groups for recovery in rural and semi-urban environments

BACKGROUND

For mental disorders Mutual Aid Groups (MAG) have been proposed, however, these have lack of methodologies that approach the needs of young people. The aim of the present study was to determine the impact of MAG in rural and semi-urban environments, developed through poetry, on the improvement of mental health.

METHODS

A quasi-experimental study was carried out in Caldas, Colombia. 171 adolescents participated, divided into 10 MAG. Child Behavior Checklist 4-18 (CBCL/4-18) was used and the nuclear components of the MAG were applied, adding elements of introduction to poetry, creation and group rituals.

RESULTS

Statistically significant associations (P < .001) were found between the number of sessions and the reduction of symptoms, as well as a decrease in Internalizing Problems and Social problems, after participating in the groups.

CONCLUSION

Poetry applied to the core components of the MAG can improve psychiatric symptoms in adolescents.

Support Groups Versus Primary Mental Healthcare on Disability and Continuity of Care: Community Trial [Support Groups for Recovery]

Based on the need to implement strategies to reduce recovery gaps in mental health with the community as axes of recovery, the objective of the present study was to assess the impact on psychosocial disability and care continuity in individuals with suicidal behavior, of the clinical and community components of the Mental Health Gap Action Program (mhGAP), versus exclusive psychiatric care. For this, a controlled community trial carried out in 2023 was conducted, comprising intervention groups: Support Group (SG), mhGAP Group (mhGAPG) and a Control Group (CG). Self-report measurements were collected pretest and posttest, utilizing the Psychosocial Disability Scale and the Alberta Continuity of Care Scale. The study involved the participation of 94 individuals with a history of suicidal behavior, with 30 individuals in the SG, 34 in the mhGAP group, and 30 in the CG. Categorical variables were summarized using frequency distribution tables. Descriptive statistics were used to examine participants' characteristics at the study outcome and estimate treatment compliance. The Mann-Whitney U Test examined differences in sociodemographic variable frequencies. The Jarque-Bera test confirmed a normal distribution for psychological variables, warranting the use of parametric tests. Differences in mean values across groups, each with two measurements per individual, were assessed using a type II repeated measures ANOVA. There were significant differences based on the intervention, with the effect being greater in the SG across all domains. Significant improvement was observed in all domains of the disability and continuity of care scale within the intervention groups. Both groups showed improvement, with better results for the SG. In conclusion, a methodology is proposed for implementing support groups based on core components, which effectively enhances psychosocial disability and the continuity of mental health care, especially in suicidal behavior.

Mutual Aid Groups for Loneliness, Psychosocial Disability, and Continuity of Care

The objective of the present study was to evaluate the effectiveness of mutual help groups in continuity of care, loneliness and psychosocial disability in a Colombian context. For this, a quasi-experimental design is used, with pre- and post-intervention assessments due to non-randomized participant allocation. The study involved 131 individuals with mental disorders. The Psychosocial Disability Scale, The Alberta Scale of Continuity of Services in Mental Health, the UCLA Scale and the Zarit Caregiver Burden Scale were employed. The intervention was based on the core components of mutual aid groups. Significant differences (p < 0.001) were observed for the study variables, particularly in Loneliness, Continuity of Care, and various domains of psychosocial disability. A large effect size was found for these variables after the intervention. Most variables exhibited a moderate to large effect. This study demonstrates the effectiveness of mutual groups facilitated by mental health personnel at the primary care level.

Self-help/mutual aid groups for health and psychosocial problems: Key features and their perspectives in the 21st century

In this virtual special issue, a set of 26 papers previously published in the American Journal of Community Psychology (AJCP), focused on self-help/mutual aid groups (SH/MAGs), are being curated given their significant impact in this domain. SH/MAGs constitute an important component of the community psychology's proposal to address various psychosocial and health problems. The American Journal of Community Psychology has played an important role in exploring the characteristics of self-help/mutual aid groups in various fields. These articles cover important areas of the study of self-help/mutual-aid groups. More specifically, the selected articles address issues such as the definition and key characteristics of self-help/mutual aid groups, the main fields that are applied, such as mental health, addictions, and disabilities. The article also addresses important issues such as the place of self-help/mutual aid groups in health systems, the experiential knowledge generated within these groups and the relationship of health professionals with these groups. The aim is this VSI to contribute to contemporary discussion on self-help/mutual aid groups, their challenges, and their perspectives and to highlight the crucial role that community psychology has in this field.

Self-Help Groups within Nursing Homes: The Experiences of Family Caregivers in Northeastern Italy

Older adults and their family caregivers experience nursing home placement as a particularly critical time of life. The present study explored the experiences of family caregivers of nursing home residents taking part in a self-help group for caregivers. The sample was composed of six caregivers of older adults residing in a nursing home in the northeast of Italy. The respondents, aged 57 to 71, were part of a self-help group set up by the facility between 2017 and 2019. In this qualitative methodological design, we applied the principles of interpretative phenomenological analysis. Two main themes emerged from the interviews: (a) challenges in constructing experience as caregivers; and (b) shared experiences as stabilizing tools. The findings highlight the importance of self-help groups in fostering the well-being of caregivers of older adults living in nursing homes. The self-help group enabled caregivers to deal with nursing home placement and the sense of guilt deriving from it; understand and accept the disabilities affecting their loved one; comprehend the experience of ambiguous loss; and learn to listen to their own needs, thus avoiding physical and emotional exhaustion.