Journal of Mental Health

Journal of Mental Health

Published by Taylor & Francis

Online ISSN: 1360-0567

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Print ISSN: 0963-8237

Disciplines: Mental Disorders; Mental Health; Mental Health Services

Journal websiteAuthor guidelines

Top-read articles

47 reads in the past 30 days

The Absurdity of the Latent Disease Model in Mental Health: 10,130,814 Ways to Have a DSM-5-TR Psychological Disorder

October 2023

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1,261 Reads

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8 Citations

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Tyler Owen

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Background: Latent disease classification is currently the accepted approach to mental illness diagnosis. In the United States, this takes the form of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-5-Text Revision (DSM-5-TR). Latent disease classification has been criticized for reliability and validity problems, particularly regarding diagnostic heterogeneity. No authors have calculated the scope of the heterogeneity problem of the entire DSM-5-TR. Aims: We addressed this issue by calculating the unique diagnostic profiles that exist for every DSM-5-TR diagnosis. Methods: We did this by applying formulas previously used in smaller heterogeneity analyses to all diagnoses within the DSM-5-TR. Results: We found that there are 10,130,814 ways to be diagnosed with a mental illness using DSM-5-TR criteria. When specifiers are considered, this number balloons to over 161 septillion unique diagnostic presentations (driven mainly by bipolar II disorder). Additionally, there are 1,951,065 ways to present with psychiatric symptoms, yet not meet diagnostic criteria. Conclusions: Latent disease classification leads to considerable heterogeneity in possible presentations. We provide examples of how latent disease classification harms research and treatment programs. We echo recommendations for the dismissal of latent disease classification as a mental illness diagnostic program.

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21 reads in the past 30 days

Figure 1. PrISMa flow diagram.
Figure 2. Panel of forest plots of alcohol and smoking substance use outcomes.
Summary of included rCts (n = 32).
Continued.
Summary of included non-rCts (n = 10).

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The effectiveness of digital health technologies for reducing substance use among young people: a systematic review & meta-analysis

September 2023

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298 Reads

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6 Citations

Aims and scope


An international journal for the latest research in the mental health field, including treatment and care.

  • The Journal of Mental Health is an international forum for the latest research in the mental health field. Reaching over 65 countries, the journal reports on the best in evidence-based practice around the world and provides a channel of communication between the many disciplines involved in mental health research and practice.
  • The journal encourages multi-disciplinary research and welcomes contributions that have involved the users of mental health services.
  • The international editorial team are committed to seeking out excellent work from a range of sources and theoretical perspectives...

For a full list of the subject areas this journal covers, please visit the journal website.

Recent articles


Does perceived social cohesion moderate the effect of parental stressors on depressive symptoms? A longitudinal, multi-level analysis before and during the COVID-19 pandemic
  • Article

February 2025

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15 Reads








Emotional regulation and coping strategies predicted trajectories of anxiety across the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic

November 2024

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49 Reads

Background: Adverse impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on mental health have been well-documented, but only a few studies have characterized distinct trajectories of anxiety over time. Further, whether specific emotion regulation and coping efforts to manage pandemic distress predict these distinct trajectories remains unexamined. Aims: The study characterized anxiety trajectories across the first year of the pandemic and identified emotion regulation and coping strategies that predict these classes of anxiety trajectories. A national sample of 1108 U.S. adults completed online surveys six times in the first year of the pandemic. Five emotion regulation and coping strategies were assessed (substance use, active, behavioral disengagement, positive reappraisal, and catastrophizing). Latent Growth Mixture Modeling (LGGM) analyses were performed to identify anxiety trajectory classes. Results: LGMM revealed five latent classes: Resilience (consistently very low anxiety; 79.9%), Moderate Anxiety (8.8%), Chronic High Anxiety (4.6%), Improving-Worsening Anxiety (3.2%), and Worsening-Improving Anxiety (3.5%). Using substances, disengagement, and catastrophizing to deal with COVID-19 stress consistently predicted trajectories higher in anxiety as did active coping, while positive reappraisal was unrelated to trajectory class membership. Conclusions: These results identify emotion regulation and coping strategies that appeared to exacerbate anxiety during the course of the pandemic.


When I can’t help, I suffer: A scoping review of moral distress in service providers working with persons experiencing homelessness

November 2024

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65 Reads

Abstract Background: Service providers are experiencing mental health decline as they work to meet the needs of persons experiencing homelessness in a system that constrains their ability to help. Although moral distress is widely recognized in health care, the experience of moral distress in service providers working with people experiencing homelessness has not been explored in a scoping review. Aim To identify the range and nature of literature on moral distress among service providers working with persons experiencing homelessness. Methods We conducted a scoping review using Arksey and O’Malley five-stage framework. Results From the 2219 records yielded from our search, 40 studies were included in this review. Our narrative synthesis generated three distinct themes: 1) helping is part of our identity, it’s who we are, 2) we are doing the best we can, but there are so many barriers, 3) it’s more than we can take, we’re not okay. Conclusion Service providers across studies were described as experiencing a high degree of moral distress in relation to constraints that impeded their ability to fulfil their moral value of helping.


Stigmatisation of mental illness in Africa: a systematic review of qualitative and mixed studies

November 2024

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9 Reads

Background: Despite increasing global awareness of mental health and illness, individuals with mental illnesses still experience stigma in many African countries. This stigma can be pervasive and evolving, which can negatively impact care and quality of life. Aims: This study aims to present a comprehensive overview of the prevalence, experiences, and consequences of mental illness stigmatisation in African countries, and offer recommendations for addressing this issue. Methods: A systematic review of qualitative studies investigating mental health stigma was conducted, involving a thorough search of seven databases-APA PsycINFO, CINAHL, MEDLINE, APA PsycArticles, African Index Medicus (AIM), ScienceDirect, and Embase-for studies published between 2013 and 2023. Results: Thematic analysis of 28 studies identified five main themes (prevalence of stigma, types of stigma, causes of stigma, experiences of stigma, and impacts of stigma) and seven subthemes. Conclusion: Providing support to mental health service users and their families, as well as implementing policies and strategies to reduce mental health stigma, is crucial to minimising the prevalence and impact of mental health stigma.


Videocall delivered psychological interventions for treating depressive symptoms in primary care - a systematic review

November 2024

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2 Reads

Background: Depression is a very common disorder and comorbidity. Primary care providers are the first medical contacts to diagnose and treat depression. Video calls are emerging communication tools to deliver psychological interventions. Aims: To examine the effectiveness of videocall delivered psychological interventions to treat depressive symptoms in adult patients in primary care, as well as a systematic assessment of implementation factors. Methods: We conducted a systematic literature search in PubMed Central, Embase, PsycInfo, Cochrane Library and the WHO COVID-19 database and included randomized controlled trials only. Two authors screened the studies and assessed the risk of bias independently (Cochrane RoB tool). We followed the PRISMA guidelines. The study protocol was published in PROSPERO (CRD42022295238). The results were synthesized narratively. Results: Of 6.971 identified studies, we included six publications. Studies powered to detect clinically significant changes in primary outcomes, identified video calls to be effective for delivering complex psychological interventions in an integrated primary care setting. Conclusion: Further research is needed to consolidate the findings on a larger scale and evaluate the effectiveness in comparison with alternatives such as telephone-delivered care. Results are promising and indicate the need for replication in larger studies as well as different health care settings.



Mental health literacy in secondary school teachers and interventions to improve it - a systematic review and narrative synthesis

November 2024

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36 Reads

Background: Adolescent mental health problems have increased in prevalence. Teachers' Mental Health Literacy (MHL) may play an important role in public mental health prevention approaches. This systematic review and narrative synthesis aimed to identify what is known globally about the extent of secondary school teachers' MHL and the types and effectiveness of MHL interventions for secondary school teachers. Methods: PsycINFO, PubMed, ERIC, EBSCO-Psychological and behavioural sciences collection, Web of Science, and Google Scholar were searched to identify studies until 29/04/2024. Two independent reviewers screened the returns. Results: Twenty eligible studies were reviewed. Most intervention studies were from high-income countries and used a psycho-educative approach. Pre-intervention, teachers' levels of MHL were mixed across MHL domains. Post-intervention, increases in mental health knowledge and attitudes and decreases in mental health stigma were reported. Low use of standardised MHL measures, lack of randomised controlled trials, and lack of follow-up data affect evidence quality. Conclusion: Interventions to improve secondary school teachers' MHL can be effective, at least in the short term. Evidence quality needs to be improved to inform recommendations on whether they should be part of a public mental health approach for adolescents.


Changes in sex differences in mental health over time: the moderating effects of educational status and loneliness

November 2024

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5 Reads

Background: Limited evidence exists regarding how sex differences in mental health are changing over time, especially in the context of recent health and economic adversities. Aims: To examine the temporal shifts in mental health issues among males and females, and explore the influence of education and loneliness on these trends. Methods: Data were utilized from the 2020 to 2023 Monitor study, a repeated cross-sectional survey of adults 18 years and older in Ontario, Canada. The study employed a Qualtrics-based web panel survey (n = 5,317). Mental health was assessed using Kessler-6 questionnaire, and analyses were performed using Generalized Linear Model (GLM) with gamma distribution. Results: The results showed that there was a significant three-way interaction effect between sex, time and education with psychological distress (p = 0.014), suggesting that psychological distress increased between 2020 and 2023 among males who had less than college education. However, it remained stable among males with college/university degrees and females overall. Interaction between sex and feeling lonely on psychological distress was also evident (p = 0.004). Conclusions: Mental health issues remained a significant public health challenge among adults, especially psychological distress increasing among males with less than a college education. This underscores the importance of targeted interventions addressing males' mental health.




The impact of social support on university students living with mental illness: a systematic review and narrative synthesis

October 2024

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11 Reads

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1 Citation

Background: Limited reviews address the role of social support for university students with mental health issues, despite its proven significance for other vulnerable groups. Aims: The current review aims to examine the current evidence on the nature and impact of social support for students with self-reported and diagnosed mental health problems, along with the availability and effectiveness of social support interventions. Methods: Electronic databases (CENTRAL, CINAHL, Embase, HMIC, MEDLINE, PsycINFO, SCOPUS, Web of Science) and grey literature databases (EThOS, SSRN) were systematically searched from inception to March 2024 Articles were eligible for inclusion if they reported on the nature and role of social support for university students with mental health problems. Data from included articles were extracted and narratively synthesised. Quality of included studies was assessed using the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool. Results: Ten studies, involving 3669 participants, were included. Findings indicated high social support significantly mitigated against suicide, depression, anxiety, and psychological distress. Barriers to support access and both positive and negative impacts on mental health were identified. Conclusions: Results underscore the need to consider the distinct support requirements of students with mental health problems, who often face insufficient access to high social support. This emphasises the potential for effective interventions in this population.


Figure 2. Plot of products evaluated in trials in this review.
Descriptive summary of included studies.
trials of single herb products.
rCts of multi-herb products for anxiety.
What over the counter (OTC) products have been evaluated for anxiety in adults aged 18–60? A scoping review
  • Literature Review
  • Full-text available

September 2024

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44 Reads

Background Anxiety symptoms and disorders are common in the UK. Whilst waiting for, or alongside, treatments such as anxiolytics or psychological therapies, people often self-manage anxiety symptoms with products purchased over-the-counter (OTC), such as herbal medicines or dietary supplements. However, the evidence for these products is often presented across different reviews and is not easy for patients or healthcare professionals to compare and understand. Aims To determine the nature and size of the evidence base available for these products. Methods A scoping review. CENTRAL, MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsycInfo, and AMED (inception—Dec 2022) were searched for RCTs assessing OTC products in people aged 18–60 with symptoms or a diagnosis of anxiety. Results In total 69 papers assessing a range of products were found, which mostly focussed on kava, lavender, saffron, probiotics, Galphimia glauca and valerian. Studies used varying dosages. Compared to herbal medicine studies, there were much fewer dietary supplement studies and homeopathic remedy studies, despite some of use of these by the general public. Conclusion Future research needs to investigate commonly used but less evaluated products (e.g. chamomile, St John’s Wort) and to evaluate products against or alongside conventional treatments to better reflect patient decision making.


Socio-demographic predictors of the time interval between successive hospitalizations among patients with borderline personality disorder

September 2024

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8 Reads

Background: Borderline personality disorder (BPD) affects 0.7 to 2.7% of the adult population and higher rates are reported in inpatient care. Hospitalizations of BPD patients are a complex and controversial challenge for mental health professionals. Recurrent hospitalizations are common and it is essential to identify risk factors that characterize patients who benefit from their hospitalization and those who return to the ward shortly after discharge. Aim: To investigate the potential link between BPD patients' socio-demographic factors and the expected time interval between their successive hospitalizations. Methods: A retrospective analysis of 1051 hospitalization records from 174 BPD patients. Through univariate, bivariate, and multivariate analyses, we investigated the possible relationship between patients' primary socio-demographic factors and the time between their successive hospitalizations. Results: Patients' age, marital status, and living arrangement were found to be statistically connected with the time interval between successive hospitalizations. Specifically, being older, married and/or patients to live with one's spouse/partner seem to be linked with a longer time interval between successive hospitalizations compared to patients who are young, single/divorced and/or those who live with their parents. Conclusions: The expected time interval between successive hospitalization of BPD patients can be partly explained by their socio-demographic characteristics.


Personal relationships during and after an initial psychotic episode. First-person experiences

September 2024

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9 Reads

Background: Psychosis is often associated with loneliness, the absence of a confidant and a perceived lack of social support. In addition, the social isolation and solitude experienced can aggravate internalised stigma, depressive symptoms and/or suicidal tendencies, and worsen the course of the disorder. Aim: This study explores the experiences and perceptions of persons with psychosis concerning how their interpersonal relationships have evolved from the earliest symptoms of the disorder to its subsequent clinical stabilisation. Method: A qualitative content analysis was performed of the findings from five focus groups and six in-depth interviews (36 participants). Results: In the prodrome and initial symptoms stage, five themes were coded: social withdrawal, loss of friends, loss of personal skills, communication difficulties and breakdown of life project. During the recovery phase, four themes were coded: family support, partner support, loneliness and the desire for more close relationships. Finally, during the clinical stabilisation phase, three themes were coded: the recovery of interpersonal relationships, including with peers; reconstruction of the life project and increased interpersonal sensitivity. Conclusions: These findings highlight the impact that psychosis can have on social life and show that recovery is also related to the development of maeningful interpersonal relationships.



Experience of choice of treatment for adults with depression: a systematic review and meta-synthesis of qualitative research

September 2024

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21 Reads

Background: Treatment choices for depression are preference-sensitive (no "single best option"). However, factors or attributes that can enhance or inhibit patient choice have not been fully explored. Aims: To synthesize the qualitative literature on facilitators and barriers to treatment choice, from the perspective of people with depression and healthcare practitioners. Methods: A systematic literature search identified eligible qualitative studies (Protocol registration no. CRD42019151352). Findings from 56 studies were meta-synthesized using a thematic analysis approach. Results: Overarching facilitators to treatment choice that resonated with both patients and healthcare practitioners included: a trusting and respectful patient-practitioner relationship; information and guidance tailored to the individual and their preferred level of involvement in the decision-making process; eliciting and incorporating patient preferences and individual needs in order to find the best patient-treatment match. Prominent barriers to treatment choice that emerged were: limited time available to explore treatment options; inadequate mental health training, knowledge, skills, and experience; lack of psychological treatment services and waiting times; inflexibility of services. Conclusions: By focusing on the factors identified, practitioners can facilitate patient participation in decision-making, which has the potential to improve engagement with treatment and outcomes for adults with depression.


A study investigating the implementation of NICE recommended psychological interventions for people with psychosis following a psychiatric inpatient admission

September 2024

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2 Citations

The period of time following discharge from an inpatient setting presents a unique window of opportunity for people with psychosis to engage in psychological treatment. In England, The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidelines outline that every person with a schizophrenia diagnosis should be offered individual Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for psychosis (CBTp) and Family Intervention (FI). This study aimed to explore rates of offer and receipt of NICE recommended therapies for adults with a schizophrenia spectrum disorder diagnosis in the year following discharge from an inpatient unit. We then investigated possible predictors of therapy offer and receipt. We used a large electronic healthcare records database to perform a secondary data analysis. A generalised linear regression model was used to explore possible predictors. Overall, our results showed low rates of offer and receipt of recommended therapies (Any recommended therapy (CBT only, FI only or CBT + FI) received = 39(8%), offered = 70(15%)). Predictor variable results were identified and discussed. The low level of offer and receipt of recommended therapies is concerning given the recommendations in the NICE guidelines for people with psychosis. Our study highlighted the need for more consistent and reliable procedures for recording this information. Further investigation into the reasons for low levels of implementation overall is important to aid the development of recommendations for how this can be improved.


The effects of a teacher-led online mental health literacy program for high school students: a pilot cluster randomized controlled trial

August 2024

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19 Reads

Background: Adolescents are vulnerable to mental health problems, and this vulnerability may be enhanced in situations such as the present COVID-19 pandemic. Online mental health literacy (MHL) education may help adolescents maintain/improve their mental health, especially in situations where face-to-face education is difficult. Aims: To evaluate the effects of a teacher-led "online Short MHL Program (o-SMHLP)" delivered online to grade 10 students in their classrooms. Methods: Students (age 15-16) were randomly assigned to an o-SMHLP group (n = 115 (3 classes)) or a control group (n = 155 (4 classes)) at the class level. The program consisted of a 20-minute session which included an animated video. The students completed a self-report questionnaire pre- and post-intervention assessing outcomes including: "Knowledge about mental health/illnesses", "Recognition of necessity to seek help", "Intention to seek help", and "Unwillingness to socialize with people having mental illness". Mixed effects modeling was employed for analyses. Results: All outcomes were significantly improved in the intervention group compared to the control group post-intervention, except for "intention to seek help". Conclusions: The present study shows the effectiveness of an online MHL intervention while identifying the need for the development of effective online programs targeting adolescents' "intention to seek help".


Evaluating interventions that have improved access to community mental health care for Black men: A systematic review

August 2024

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7 Reads

Background: Black men are one of the most disadvantaged groups when accessing mental health services in the UK. There is extensive guidance from qualitative research on how to bring equity, but it is unclear how this evidence is being implemented. Aim: To systematically review interventions that help Black men access timely and appropriate mental health care and to explore their nature and effectiveness. Method: We registered on PROSPERO (CRD42022345323). We searched electronic databases up to September 2023 for studies with at least 50% of Black male participants receiving an intervention to improve access to mental health support in community settings. We conducted a narrative synthesis of eligible studies. Results: Five studies met our inclusion criteria. An important characteristic was discussing thoughts and feelings through peer support, leading to a normalization of experiences. Conclusions: There is a paucity of research into interventions that support Black men accessing community mental health support. Proactively testing interventions, not just seeking qualitative feedback, is required. Evidence-based strategies to support recruitment of Black men into research is necessary. Commissioners could consider evidence typically seen as less robust to mitigate against an underlying racial bias within research and stimulate the growth of an evidence base.


Journal metrics


2.9 (2023)

Journal Impact Factor™


8%

Acceptance rate


6.4 (2023)

CiteScore™


9 days

Submission to first decision


18 days

Acceptance to publication


1.095 (2023)

SNIP


1.061 (2023)

SJR

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