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Self-help Groups (self-help + groups)
Selected AbstractsSelf-Help Groups in the Welfare State: Treatment Program or Voluntary Action?NONPROFIT MANAGEMENT & LEADERSHIP, Issue 2 2002Magnus Karlsson This article identifies two different perspectives used when studying self-help groups: the professional treatment perspective and the voluntary action perspective. An outline of the perspectives leads to a discussion of their consequences for self-help group research. The authors categorize about five hundred scientific publications from all over the world on the basis of the perspectives they present on self-help groups; the results indicate that different perspectives seem to be preferred in different countries and when discussing different subjects. Finally, the authors suggest questions and concepts that the perspectives generate, and they emphasize the importance of being aware of which perspective is used in the study of self-help groups. [source] Self-help in the long-term treatment of obesityOBESITY REVIEWS, Issue 2 2001J. D. Latner Summary Despite the short-term success of professional behavioural techniques for obesity, weight losses are typically regained following treatment. The long-term maintenance of treatment effects will probably require ongoing, continuing care. Continuing care may be economically feasible when administered through self-help treatment modalities. Self-help confers a number of psychological benefits, such as self-reliance and an increased sense of empowerment. The effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of various modalities of self-help are reviewed, including purely self-prompted help, self-administered manuals, computer-assisted therapy, professionally assisted correspondence courses, and non-profit and commercial self-help groups. Stepped-care models suggest using a combination of these approaches when appropriate. However, logistical difficulties present themselves in stepped-care approaches with obesity, such as the complicating effects of severity and comorbidity on stepped-care status. Self-help groups are a promising venue for the provision of continuing care and as an adjunct to more intensive, specialty therapies. [source] Intensive referral to 12-Step self-help groups and 6-month substance use disorder outcomesADDICTION, Issue 5 2006Christine Timko ABSTRACT Aims This study implemented and evaluated procedures to help clinicians make effective referrals to 12-Step self-help groups. Design Randomized controlled trial. Setting Out-patient substance use disorder treatment. Participants Individuals with substance use disorders (SUDs) entering a new treatment episode (n = 345) who were assigned randomly to a standard referral- or an intensive referral-to-self-help condition. Measurements Self-reports of 12-Step group attendance and involvement and substance use at baseline and a 6-month follow-up. Intervention The intensive referral intervention focused on encouraging patients to attend 12-Step meetings by connecting them to 12-Step volunteers. Findings Among patients with relatively less previous 12-Step meeting attendance, intensive referral was associated with more meeting attendance during follow-up than was standard referral. Among all patients, compared with those who received standard referral, those who received intensive referral were more likely to be involved with 12-Step groups during the 6-month follow-up (i.e. had provided service, had a spiritual awakening and currently had a sponsor). Intensive referral patients also had better alcohol and drug use outcomes at 6 months. Twelve-Step involvement mediated part of the association between referral condition and alcohol outcomes. Conclusions The brief intensive referral intervention was associated with improved 12-Step group involvement and substance use outcomes even among patients with considerable previous 12-Step group exposure and formal treatment. Future 12-Step intensive referral procedures should focus on encouraging 12-Step group involvement in addition to attendance to benefit patients most effectively. [source] The lifespan and life-cycle of self-help groups: a retrospective study of groups in Nottingham, UKHEALTH & SOCIAL CARE IN THE COMMUNITY, Issue 4 2010Sarah Chaudhary LLB (Hons) MA Abstract This article is based on an analysis of a practice database held by Self Help Nottingham, an organisation that supports local self-help groups. The database contains details of 936 groups that closed between 1982 and 2007. The aim of the study is to provide qualitative and descriptive quantitative information about the life-cycles of self-help groups, the problems that they face throughout their existence and the likelihood of different problems leading to their closure. The database was not collated for research purposes and so we restrict our discussion of the findings to identification of broad patterns regarding the birth and closure rates of different types of group and questions for future research. Comparisons were made between groups that addressed different types of problem, groups with different memberships and groups that had reached different stages in their existence. There was reasonable consistency in the survival rates of different types of group with physical health groups being the most likely to reach maturity followed by mental health and lastly social issue groups. Survival rates for groups that serve different membership populations were reasonably constant although there were some anomalies. There were high levels of consistency regarding the reasons for closure for groups closing at different stages of maturity. The most commonly cited reasons among all groups were the withdrawal of a ,key' member and a decline in membership. The article suggests that some of the assumptions and prescriptions within the existing literature need to be considered in light of more detailed empirical evidence, and it raises questions about the theoretical understanding of self-help groups. [source] A Psychoeducational Group for Men with Intellectual Disabilities Who Have Sex with MenJOURNAL OF APPLIED RESEARCH IN INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES, Issue 4 2001Paul Withers The sexuality and sexual behaviour of people with intellectual disabilities (IDs) is one of the most complex and unresolved issues faced by service providers. Despite much evidence suggesting the disproportionately high risks faced by men with IDs who have sex with men, no epidemiological research has been conducted on the prevalence of HIV within this population. Current thinking suggests that self-help groups are efficacious in helping participants to develop positive sexual identities and to share information about safer sexual practices. The present study is a qualitative evaluation of a pilot support group for men with IDs who have sex with men. Themes relating to the formation of sexual identity and safety issues were extrapolated using content analysis from a transcript of the final group session. The implications for service delivery are discussed. The evaluation was conducted by a clinical psychologist external to the group and the members of the group. [source] Outpatient mental health care, self-help groups, and patients' one-year treatment outcomesJOURNAL OF CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGY, Issue 3 2001Rudolf Moos Objective: To examine the association between the duration and amount of outpatient mental health care, participation in self-help groups, and patients' casemix-adjusted one-year outcomes. Methods: A total of 2,376 patients with substance use disorders, 35% of whom also had psychiatric disorders, were assessed at entry to treatment and at a one-year follow-up. Information about the duration and amount of outpatient mental health care was obtained from a centralized health services utilization database. Results: Patients who obtained regular outpatient mental health care over a longer interval and patients who attended more self-help group meetings had better one-year substance use and social functioning outcomes than did patients who were less involved in formal and informal care. The amount of outpatient mental health care did not independently predict one-year outcomes. Conclusions: The duration of outpatient mental health care and the level of self-help involvement are independently associated with less substance use and more positive social functioning. The provision of low intensity treatment for a longer time interval may be a cost-effective way to enhance substance abuse and psychiatric patients' long-term outcomes. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Clin Psychol 57: 273,287, 2001. [source] Political ideology, helping mechanisms and empowerment of mental health self-help/mutual aid groupsJOURNAL OF COMMUNITY & APPLIED SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY, Issue 4 2002Eleni Hatzidimitriadou Abstract Self-help/mutual aid groups share common attributes such as they are peer-led, address a common problem or condition, have a voluntary character and little or no connection with professionals. However, these groups may vary according to their political ideology and focus on personal or/and societal change. This study examines the role of political ideology of self-help/mutual aid groups and differences in psychosocial characteristics of group members. Fourteen mental health self-help/mutual aid groups in England were studied. On the basis of stated aims and principles and following semi-structured interviews with group leaders (facilitators/chairpersons), these were classified according to Emerick's typology as conservative (eight groups), combined (three groups), and radical (three groups). Group members (n,=,67) completed questionnaires to assess personal empowerment, mental wellbeing, social networks and support, group identification and helping processes in the groups. Findings suggested that all self-help group members experienced a large number of naturally occurring helping process and felt empowered whilst they shared limited social networks and support and marginal mental wellbeing. Different ideological types of self-help groups may be related to specific helping processes and particular aspects of personal empowerment. Specifically, members of conservative and combined groups reported more expressive group processes like sharing of feelings and self-disclosure, while radical group members reported more optimism/control over their lives. Furthermore, group identification was associated with specific helping processes and aspects of personal empowerment in the three group categories. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Expanding self-help group participation in culturally diverse urban areas: Media approaches to leveraging referent powerJOURNAL OF COMMUNITY PSYCHOLOGY, Issue 4 2004Keith Humphreys Accumulating research attests to the benefits of self-help groups for people who have various chronic health problems. Expansion of self-help group participation may enable a broader portion of society to experience these health benefits. The Media and Education for Self-Help (MESH) Project was an effort to increase interest in health-related self-help groups among middle- and lower-income people in two California urban areas with minority,majority populations. A diverse coalition of self-help group leaders designed English- and Spanish-language radio public service announcements and posters that were disseminated in Oakland and Los Angeles. The outcome measures in each urban area were self-help-group-related telephone inquiries to local information and referral agencies (English and Spanish language) and the number of individuals attending self-help groups at agencies hosting many groups. Telephone caller data were also gathered in a nonintervention control urban area (Sacramento). Los Angeles experienced an overall increase in telephone calls about self-help groups during the MESH intervention, whereas the control urban area had no change in the number of telephone calls over the same period. The initial sharp increase in self-help-group-related telephone calls was not sustained in Oakland, however. The number of Spanish-language calls about self-help groups increased 821% in Los Angeles and 149% in Oakland in the period from the 6 months that preceded the project through the first 6 months of the MESH Project. In the MESH Project urban areas, the number of visits to self-help groups was significantly higher in intervention months than in the same calendar months of the preceding year, particularly in Oakland, where the increase exceeded 300 visits to self-help groups per month. These intriguing findings are discussed in terms of their health policy and program evaluation implications. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Comm Psychol 32: 413,424, 2004. [source] An economic model of self-help groups: policy implications for banks and NGO initiativesJOURNAL OF INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT, Issue 8 2001Sashi Sivramkrishna In India, the Self-Help Group (SHG) has emerged as a suitable innovative institution in bringing formal financial sector credit to poor. This article constructs an economic typology of SHGs based on four important economic variables, namely, interest on members' savings paid by the SHG, sharing of SHG surpluses by members, members' claim on exit from the SHG and lending rates charged by the SHG to members. An economic analysis of each type of SHG shows these variables to be important in terms of the members' costs of borrowing and demand for credit. Based on the analysis, some leads for a set of policy guidelines for each type of SHG are presented. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Predictors of psychological distress in family caregivers of persons with psychiatric disabilitiesJOURNAL OF PSYCHIATRIC & MENTAL HEALTH NURSING, Issue 5 2003H. L. PROVENCHER phd The purpose of the study was to determine the relationships of primary and secondary stressors, and informal and formal supports, to psychological distress in 154 family caregivers of persons with psychiatric disabilities. All caregivers were members of self-help groups located in the Province of Quebec in Canada. Psychological distress was significantly lower among older caregivers, those working full time, and those experiencing lower objective and subjective burdens. Contrary to the hypotheses, caregivers who perceived more support from friends and had more contacts with their relatives' primary mental health providers experienced a higher level of psychological distress. [source] Predictors of 16-Year Mortality Among Individuals Initiating Help-Seeking for an Alcoholic Use DisorderALCOHOLISM, Issue 10 2006Christine Timko Background and Methods: We examined rates and predictors of mortality in individuals (47% women) who had just initiated help-seeking for their alcohol use disorders (AUDs) at the start of the study (n=628) and were followed for 16 years. Results: For both women and men, the observed-to-expected mortality ratio (1.4) was lower than rates found in samples of treated individuals with AUDs, suggesting that those initiating help-seeking careers have better chances of long-term survival. Of the individuals for whom cause of death was known, 68% died of alcohol-related causes. Men were more likely to die than were women. When gender was controlled, individuals who were older and unmarried and had more alcohol dependence symptoms at baseline were more likely to die over the 16-year period. When these baseline characteristics were controlled, better drinking outcomes at 1 year were associated with a lower likelihood of subsequent death. The combination of a shorter duration of inpatient/residential care and better drinking outcomes at 1 year was related to a lower probability of death, as was the combination of a longer duration of outpatient care or Alcoholics Anonymous attendance and better drinking outcomes at 1 year. Conclusions: Efforts should be made to help providers identify individuals who are not responding positively to inpatient or residential treatment and intervene to motivate participation in continuing outpatient care and community 12-step self-help groups to reduce the likelihood of a chronic and fatal AUD course. [source] Self-Help Groups in the Welfare State: Treatment Program or Voluntary Action?NONPROFIT MANAGEMENT & LEADERSHIP, Issue 2 2002Magnus Karlsson This article identifies two different perspectives used when studying self-help groups: the professional treatment perspective and the voluntary action perspective. An outline of the perspectives leads to a discussion of their consequences for self-help group research. The authors categorize about five hundred scientific publications from all over the world on the basis of the perspectives they present on self-help groups; the results indicate that different perspectives seem to be preferred in different countries and when discussing different subjects. Finally, the authors suggest questions and concepts that the perspectives generate, and they emphasize the importance of being aware of which perspective is used in the study of self-help groups. [source] Self-help in the long-term treatment of obesityOBESITY REVIEWS, Issue 2 2001J. D. Latner Summary Despite the short-term success of professional behavioural techniques for obesity, weight losses are typically regained following treatment. The long-term maintenance of treatment effects will probably require ongoing, continuing care. Continuing care may be economically feasible when administered through self-help treatment modalities. Self-help confers a number of psychological benefits, such as self-reliance and an increased sense of empowerment. The effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of various modalities of self-help are reviewed, including purely self-prompted help, self-administered manuals, computer-assisted therapy, professionally assisted correspondence courses, and non-profit and commercial self-help groups. Stepped-care models suggest using a combination of these approaches when appropriate. However, logistical difficulties present themselves in stepped-care approaches with obesity, such as the complicating effects of severity and comorbidity on stepped-care status. Self-help groups are a promising venue for the provision of continuing care and as an adjunct to more intensive, specialty therapies. [source] | |||||||||||||