Academic literature on the topic 'Help-receiving beliefs'

Multimorbidity challenges quality of life (QoL) in old age. Anticipating and providing social support have been shown to promote QoL whereas receiving support often had detrimental effects. Little is known about which psychological processes explain these effects. This study examines the effects of receiving, anticipating and providing emotional support on QoL, with control beliefs and self-esteem as simultaneous mediators in an elderly multimorbid sample ( N = 1415). Anticipating and providing support positively predicted QoL, mediated through self-esteem and control beliefs. Received support negatively predicted QoL, without mediation. Self-esteem and control beliefs can help to explain the relation between QoL and support.

Purpose Although radiation therapy (RT) can palliate symptoms and may prolong life, it is not curative for patients with metastatic lung cancer. We investigated patient expectations about the goals of RT for incurable lung cancers. Patients and Methods The Cancer Care Outcomes Research and Surveillance Consortium enrolled a population- and health system–based cohort of patients diagnosed with lung cancer from 2003 to 2005. We identified patients with stage wet IIIB or IV lung cancer who received RT and answered questions on their expectations about RT. We assessed patient expectations about the goals of RT and identified factors associated with inaccurate beliefs about cure. Results In all, 384 patients completed surveys on their expectations about RT. Seventy-eight percent of patients believed that RT was very or somewhat likely to help them live longer, and 67% believed that RT was very or somewhat likely to help them with problems related to their cancer. However, 64% did not understand that RT was not at all likely to cure them. Older patients and nonwhites were more likely to have inaccurate beliefs, and patients whose surveys were completed by surrogates were less likely to have inaccurate beliefs. Ninety-two percent of patients with inaccurate beliefs about cure from RT also had inaccurate beliefs about chemotherapy. Conclusion Although patients receiving RT for incurable lung cancer believe it will help them, most do not understand that it is not at all likely to cure their disease. This indicates a need to improve communication regarding the goals and limitations of palliative RT.

The relationship between spirituality/religion and health is receiving increasing academic interest, but few studies have explored the experience of Australians. This paper presents data from an exploratory survey of patients and families in a public teaching hospital in Sydney. The findings show that the majority of hospital service users: •believe there are links between spirituality/religion and health; •believe that rituals and customs can help people when they are sick/suffering; •have valued practices associated with their beliefs; •feel it is helpful for health staff to know their patients’ beliefs; •are willing to be asked about their beliefs; or •want hospital staff to respect and support the beliefs and practices of all patients. Spirituality and religion, and the beliefs and practices associated with them, were found to be eclectic, individualised and evolving in response to life events such as loss and health crises. This paper concludes that a person-centred framework of health practice includes attention to the religious/spiritual dimension of patients and their families. What is known about the topic?There is a rapidly developing body of research that demonstrates an increasing awareness of the important links between religion and health, but is limited in Australian application. What does this paper add?This paper provides contextually relevant qualitative and quantitative data on patient perspectives, including how patients wish to be treated by health staff in relation to their beliefs and practices. The Australian perspective also provides a valuable counterpoint to US-dominated research in the global community. What are the implications for practitioners?The research findings indicate that practitioners need to recognise and respond to the role of religious and spiritual beliefs and practices in patients’ health journeys. The discussion suggests some practical ways of doing this which sit comfortably within the patient-centred approach.

Given the high rates of completed suicide and poor help-seeking among young men, this research explored how young men, who had successfully sought help from a Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS), experienced help-seeking. The study focused on the factors that facilitated initial access and ongoing engagement in services. Eight young men between the ages of 16 to 18, who had entered CAMHS following self-harm or suicidal ideation, and who were engaged in ongoing therapy, were recruited. Each young man was interviewed to elicit his personal experiences of help-seeking and help-receiving. Interviews were transcribed and subjected to Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis. Four superordinate themes, which overarched participant’s individual experiences, emerged from the data: Role of external adult in recognizing, normalizing, and initiating help-seeking; challenging and renegotiating perception of need for help and meaning behind this need; maintaining an independent self; and mechanisms of engagement. Help-seeking was described as a journey of two stages: (a) initial access and (b) ongoing engagement, during which the presence and timing of external influences (parents, teachers) and internal influences (personal beliefs and attitudes) were crucial. A model of help-seeking in young men who self-harmed was developed, which considered both access and engagement to help, and combined a consideration of internal and external influences on their ability to access help.

This study aims to examine the factors that influence the intention of emerging adults with divorced parents to seek psychological help using the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) terminology. A total of 118 participants aged 18-25 years old took part in the study. Participants completed self-report questionnaires using the Mental Health Intention Scale, Self-Stigma of Seeking Help Scale, Attitude Towards Seeking Professional Help Scale, and Stigma Scale for Receiving Psychological Help. The multiple linear regression analysis showed that the intention to seek psychological help was significantly associated with the TPB predictors. The attitude toward help-seeking was found to be the most influential predictor of an emerging adult's intention to find out psychological help. Based on the findings of this study, the interventions related to the psychological help-seeking intention should consider individual attitudes, norms, and beliefs.

The introduction of COVID-19 vaccines is a major public health breakthrough. However, members of US Black and Hispanic communities, already disproportionately affected by the COVID-19 virus, may be less willing to receive the vaccine. We conducted a broad, representative survey of US adults (N = 1,950) in order to better understand vaccine beliefs and explore opportunities to increase vaccine acceptance among these groups. The survey results suggested that Black and Hispanic individuals were less willing than Whites to receive the vaccine. US Blacks and Hispanics also planned to delay receiving the COVID-19 vaccine for a longer time period than Whites, potentially further increasing the risk of contracting COVID-19 within populations that are already experiencing high disease prevalence. Black respondents were less likely to want the COVID-19 vaccine at all compared with Whites and Hispanics, and mistrust of the vaccine among Black respondents was significantly higher than other racial/ethnic groups. Encouragingly, many Black and Hispanic respondents reported that COVID-19 vaccine endorsements from same-race medical professionals would increase their willingness to receive it. These respondents said they would also be motivated by receiving more information on the experiences of vaccine study participants who are of their own race and ethnicity. The results have implications for improved messaging of culturally-tailored communications to help reduce COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy among communities disproportionately impacted by the pandemic.

Abstract. We investigated the consequences of intergroup helping for both the offering and the receiving group’s reputation in the eyes of third parties. In two experiments (N = 116 and N = 78), observers were presented with a group that offered versus requested help. Observers’ status beliefs confirmed the emergence of a status hierarchy that favored the group that offered help. Study 2 demonstrated that the newly emerged status differential quickly solidified. In particular, observers judged the help-offering group as more attractive and allocated more resources to this group. Consistent with the social structural hypothesis on stereotype content, attributions of competence were more relevant for groups’ reputation than attributions of warmth. We discuss the implications of our findings for societies comprising diverse groups.

We present the results of a survey of 882 dissatisfied homosexual people whom we queried about their beliefs regarding conversion therapy and the possibility of change in sexual orientation. There were 70 closed-ended questions on the survey and 5 open-ended ones. Of the 882 participants, 726 of them reported that they had received conversion therapy from a professional therapist or a pastoral counselor. Of the participants 779 or 89.7% viewed themselves as “more homosexual than heterosexual,” “almost exclusively homosexual,” or “exclusively homosexual” in their orientation before receiving conversion therapy or making self-help efforts to change. After receiving therapy or engaging in self-help, 305 (35.1%) of the participants continued to view their orientation in this manner. As a group, the participants reported large and statistically significant reductions in the frequency of their homosexual thoughts and fantasies that they attributed to conversion therapy or self-help. They also reported large improvements in their psychological, interpersonal, and spiritual well-being. These responses cannot, for several reasons, be generalized beyond the present sample, but the attitudes and ideas are useful in developing testable hypotheses for further research.

We present the results of a survey of 882 dissatisfied homosexual people whom we queried about their beliefs regarding conversion therapy and the possibility of change in sexual orientation. There were 70 closed-ended questions on the survey and 5 open-ended ones. Of the 882 participants, 726 of them reported that they had received conversion therapy from a professional therapist or a pastoral counselor. Of the participants 779 or 89.7% viewed themselves as “more homosexual than heterosexual,” “almost exclusively homosexual,” or “exclusively homosexual” in their orientation before receiving conversion therapy or making self-help efforts to change. After receiving therapy or engaging in self-help, 305 (35.1%) of the participants continued to view their orientation in this manner. As a group, the participants reported large and statistically significant reductions in the frequency of their homosexual thoughts and fantasies that they attributed to conversion therapy or-self-help. They also reported large improvements in their psychological, interpersonal, and spiritual well-being. These responses cannot, for several reasons, be generalized beyond the present sample, but the attitudes and ideas are useful in developing testable hypotheses for further research.

Abstract Objectives PBE may result in healthier eating in both patients on hemodialysis and those with other advanced kidney diseases, with increased phosphorous and potassium allowances as well as lower acid load. Understanding interest in and beliefs regarding plant based eating (PBE) in an underserved inner-city pt population with kidney disease may help tailor healthier eating plans based on PBE. Methods A random sample of 33 dialysis and 22 kidney transplant pts in an inner-city environment were surveyed regarding beliefs about PBE and dietary intake by 24-hour recall using the ASA24 database. Results did not differ between populations so they were analyzed together. Not all pts completed all questions. Results Mean age was 55.3 ± 2.1 yrs, 54% male (30); 88% (49) identified as Black, 36% US-born (20); 77% (30) reported annual income <$40K, 64% (35) did not finish college. 8/28 (29%) reported having tried PBE, and 22/39 (57%) were interested. 52% of patients (29) reported not having been recommended PBE before. Recommendations were more likely to have come from a friend or acquaintance and not a doctor or nutritionist (23 vs 4, p = 0.048). Willingness to try PBE in the future was associated with belief that diet changes can improve kidney health (p = 0.031), that PBE can improve kidney health (p = 0.002), and that eating less meat would improve hypertension (p = 0.031) or diabetes (p = 0.034). Pts who previously tried PBE were more likely to believe PBE can improve hypertension (p = 0.045). Pts who believed PBE would worsen hypertension were more likely to be receiving SNAP benefits (r = 0.44, p = 0.032), and be eating more servings of starchy vegetables (p = 0.011), poultry (p = 0.041) and milk (p = 0.011). Conclusions In our population, recommendations for PBE were more likely to come from non-healthcare professionals. Although fewer than a third had tried PBE, more than half of patients surveyed would be willing to try PBE, which was related to beliefs in it's value. As patients at highest risk for food insecurity were less likely to have tried PBE and given that PBE may be protective against kidney disease progression and improve cardiovascular risk factors, it is imperative that health professionals refer patients for nutrition counseling regarding all aspects of PBE, and that counselors in these areas understand misperceptions in order to help alleviate disparities in care. Funding Sources Unfunded.

The study is funded by Doha International Family Institute (DIFI), a member of Qatar Foundation, and is a collaboration between the Muslim Resource Centre for Social Support and Integration of London, Ontario; University of Guelph, Ontario; and University of Calgary, Alberta, all located in Canada; and the Doha International Family Institute, Qatar. The study received research ethics approval from the University of Guelph and the University of Calgary. This study aims to assess the impact of pre- and post-migration on marital relationships and family dynamics for Arab refugee families resettled in Canada. The study also examines the role of professional service providers in supporting these Arab refugee families. The unique experiences of Arab families displaced from their countries due to war and political conflict, and the various hardships experienced during their stay in transit countries, impact their family relations and interactions within the nuclear family context and their interconnectedness with their extended families. Furthermore, these families encounter various challenges within their resettlement process that interrupt their integration. Understanding the impact of traumatic experiences within the pre-migration journey as well as the impact of post-migration stressors on recently settled Arab refugee families in Canada provides insight into the shift in spousal and family relationships. Refugee research studies that focus on the impact of pre-migration trauma and displacement, the migration journey, and post-migration settlement on family relationships are scarce. Since the majority of global refugees in recent years come from Arab regions, mainly Syria, as a result of armed conflicts, this study is focused on the unique experiences of Arab refugee families fleeing conflict zones. The Canadian role in recently resettling a large influx of Arab refugees and assisting them to successfully integrate has not been without challenges. Traumatic pre-migration experiences as a result of being subjected to and/or witnessing violence, separation from and loss of family members, and loss of property and social status coupled with experiences of hardships in transit countries have a profound impact on families and their integration. Refugees are subjected to individual and collective traumatic experiences associated with cultural or ethnic disconnection, mental health struggles, and discrimination and racism. These experiences have been shown to impact family interactions. Arab refugee families have different definitions of “family” and “home” from Eurocentric conceptualizations which are grounded in individualistic worldviews. The discrepancy between collectivism and individualism is mainly recognized by collectivist newcomers as challenges in the areas of gender norms, expectations regarding parenting and the physical discipline of children, and diverse aspects of the family’s daily life. For this study, we interviewed 30 adults, all Arab refugees (14 Syrian and 16 Iraqi – 17 males, 13 females) residing in London, Ontario, Canada for a period of time ranging from six months to seven years. The study participants were married couples with and without children. During the semi-structured interviews, the participants were asked to reflect on their family life during pre-migration – in the country of origin before and during the war and in the transit country – and post-migration in Canada. The inter - views were conducted in Arabic, audio-recorded, and transcribed. We also conducted one focus group with seven service providers from diverse sectors in London, Ontario who work with Arab refugee families. The study used the underlying principles of constructivist grounded theory methodology to guide interviewing and a thematic analysis was performed. MAXQDA software was used to facilitate coding and the identification of key themes within the transcribed interviews. We also conducted a thematic analysis of the focus group transcription. The thematic analysis of the individual interviews identified four key themes: • Gender role changes influence spousal relationships; • Traumatic experiences bring suffering and resilience to family well-being; • Levels of marital conflict are higher following post-migration settlement; • Post-migration experiences challenge family values. The outcome of the thematic analysis of the service provider focus group identified three key themes: • The complex needs of newly arrived Arab refugee families; • Gaps in the services available to Arab refugee families; • Key aspects of training for cultural competencies. The key themes from the individual interviews demonstrate: (i) the dramatic sociocul - tural changes associated with migration that particularly emphasize different gender norms; (ii) the impact of trauma and the refugee experience itself on family relation - ships and personal well-being; (iii) the unique and complex aspects of the family journey; and (iv) how valued aspects of cultural and religious values and traditions are linked in complex ways for these Arab refugee families. These outcomes are consist - ent with previous studies. The study finds that women were strongly involved in supporting their spouses in every aspect of family life and tried to maintain their spouses’ tolerance towards stressors. The struggles of husbands to fulfill their roles as the providers and protec - tors throughout the migratory journey were evident. Some parents experienced role shifts that they understood to be due to the unstable conditions in which they were living but these changes were considered to be temporary. Despite the diversity of refugee family experiences, they shared some commonalities in how they experi - enced changes that were frightening for families, as well as some that enhanced safety and stability. These latter changes related to safety were welcomed by these fami - lies. Some of these families reported that they sought professional help, while others dealt with changes by becoming more distant in their marital relationship. The risk of violence increased as the result of trauma, integration stressors, and escalation in marital issues. These outcomes illustrate the importance of taking into consideration the complexity of the integration process in light of post-trauma and post-migration changes and the timespan each family needs to adjust and integrate. Moreover, these families expressed hope for a better future for their children and stated that they were willing to accept change for the sake of their children as well. At the same time, these parents voiced the significance of preserving their cultural and religious values and beliefs. The service providers identified gaps in service provision to refugee families in some key areas. These included the unpreparedness of professionals and insufficiency of the resources available for newcomer families from all levels of government. This was particularly relevant in the context of meeting the needs of the large influx of Syrian refugees who were resettled in Canada within the period of November 2015 to January 2017. Furthermore, language skills and addressing trauma needs were found to require more than one year to address. The service providers identified that a longer time span of government assistance for these families was necessary. In terms of training, the service providers pinpointed the value of learning more about culturally appropriate interventions and receiving professional development to enhance their work with refugee families. In light of these findings, we recommend an increased use of culturally integrative interventions and programs to provide both formal and informal support for families within their communities. Furthermore, future research that examines the impact of culturally-based training, cultural brokers, and various culturally integrative practices will contribute to understanding best practices. These findings with regard to refugee family relationships and experiences are exploratory in their nature and support future research that extends understanding in the area of spousal relationships, inter - generational stressors during adolescence, and parenting/gender role changes.

The chapter is about different situations that therapists face challenges in and outlines what a therapist can do when faced with these challenging situations. The challenges covered are: challenging the competency of the therapist of color; transferring minority animosity to clients of other cultures; unrealistically viewing the therapist of colour as a super minority therapist; overidentification with the client; encountering clashes in cultural values; encountering clashes in communication and therapeutic styles; multicultural competence in a therapist; therapist of colour needing to prove competence; dealing with expressions of racist attitudes/beliefs/behaviors from clients; receiving and expressing racial animosity; and dealing with the stages of racial and cultural identity of therapists and clients. This chapter is to create awareness in therapist and help build multicultural competent therapist.

This chapter on the Nation newspaper showcases nationalist belief in the value of education – particularly education in history – in forging a self-governing citizenry. It argues that many nationalists – in particular the Young Ireland movement of the 1840s – saw it as their patriotic duty to give the Irish people the ‘national’ education that the British government was deliberately preventing them from receiving. The core subject of this education was history, which they believed would help to create the ‘imagined community’ of the nation by nourishing collective memory and reinforcing national allegiances and obligations, so that the Irish would see themselves as a distinct people rooted in the struggles and sacrifices of the past. This they attempted to do by propagating a heroic and celebratory narrative of Ireland’s struggle for independence through cheap and accessible ballad collections, historical works presented in the ‘Library of Ireland’ and in newspapers such as the Nation. Hand in hand with the provision of reading materials, Young Ireland also sought to promote literacy through the establishment of reading rooms stocked with nationalist literature to supplement or supplant official educational initiatives. Literacy was envisaged as catalyzing an informed citizenry who would insist that they should govern their own destiny.

With the creation of the first federal student loans as part of the National Defense Education Act of 1958, the US postsecondary financial aid system was set on a path from which it has not fundamentally deviated in the intervening decades. While college financing has trended almost inexorably toward greater reliance on student borrowing as costs have outpaced families’ incomes, the major components of the financing “mix” have remained unchanged. Financial aid policy is sometimes tweaked around the edges to lighten the burden of student debt, give colleges a competitive edge, or address undesirable disincentives. For the most part, however, these reforms bear more resemblance to the classic “shell game” than to authentic innovations. What American students need are more powerful tools with which to approach their futures—tools that help them prepare for higher education, persist to completion, and then leverage returns on their degrees. What they get, however, are repackaged versions of the same blunt instruments. While everyone wants improved outcomes from our financial aid investments, the nation’s apparent inability or unwillingness to innovate truly novel approaches to paying for higher education stands in the way of progress. The goal of financial aid policy has been narrowly framed as only helping young adults pay for college, a low bar that completely ignores the role financial aid could play in influencing early education, postsecondary completion, and post-college financial health. As a result, instead of receiving support at critical junctures along the opportunity pipeline to a prosperous adulthood, students are largely left to their own devices except at the moment when the tuition bill becomes due. To capitalize on the resulting missed opportunities, the United States needs more than different loan repayment schedules or loosened rules on grant disbursement. What we need is a fundamental shift in how we think about financing higher education and what we believe about why it matters.

He walks down the hall toward you. You are the only two in the hallway. You look at him, ready to smile and offer a cheery “Good morning!” With eyes downcast, he walks by you as if you are not there. What is your reaction? • Indignation. “Who does he think he is, not bothering to even look at me?” • Irritation. “Why can’t he make the effort to say a simple hello?” • Superiority. “With such poor social skills, he shouldn’t even be a teacher.” • Meanness. Silently you smirk at his indifference, eager to tell co- workers about this perceived slight. • Affirmation. “I knew he didn’t like me, and since no one is around, he doesn’t even pretend!” • Anger. “How dare he act so superior!” It may be a challenge to interpret this scene as anything but snob­bery or poor manners. Yet the same curiosity and compassion that help us determine what our students need in order to learn can serve us well with other adults. The illusion in this scenario is our belief that we know the reason for another’s behaviors. The pitfall of this conclusion is the missed opportunity to wonder with good intentions. The risk to professional relationships is the narrow labeling of another’s behaviors and personalizing their intent. Asking ourselves “What else could it be?” implies that we have the power and presence of mind to press the pause button to offer a broader palette of possibilities. • Is he preoccupied with an upcoming meeting? • Is he concerned about a loved one? • Is he mentally preparing for his first class? • Is he an introvert who is much more comfortable keeping to himself than offering easy banter or automatic greetings? Why not be your best by offering a warm greeting to him with no expectation for receiving one in return? When faced with puzzling behaviors, we can avoid jumping to conclusions. We can take a moment, have a second thought. This opening of possibility offers a moment of grace to ourselves and our co- workers. We choose to suspend judgment for the good of the moment and for nourishing goodwill in schools.

Parents are important partners in the educational process. Including their views in the monitoring system has multiple benefits. First, parents who believe that the school is interested in their feedback and takes it seriously become even better partners with educators. They feel important, respected, and helpful and may be more willing to engage in meaningful dialogue with school leaders and staff members. Parents are also an impor­tant source of information on their own experiences in the school and on the lives of their children (see Box 7.1). In one school, for example, parents shared that their child’s teachers contacted them only when the child presented difficulties— never when the child did well. Following this feedback, the school changed their policy and made an effort to communicate regularly with parents and to emphasize student gains and achievements— not just problem areas. In another school, military- connected parents expressed a feeling that school staff members did not appreciate their sacrifices and the challenges their children face due to their parents’ military service. This input was helpful in developing a school climate that would be more welcoming to military- connected families and students. Parents can be viewed as the clients of the school. As such, it’s important to cosider their perceptions of school climate and whether they are satisfied with the services their children are receiving in order to retain these families and attract others. When parents think their children might not be safe in school, they will search for other options. Monitoring parents’ perceptions and levels of satisfaction is important in order to make adjustments and to ensure that student families remain loyal allies. A monitoring system that includes surveys for parents— and other opportunities for them to share their perceptions— can also help educators learn more about students’ lives out of school and whether there are any issues that could affect their academic and nonacademic lives in school. Surveys of parents and guardians, for example, can show whether students have someone at home after school or whether parents feel comfortable contacting teachers if they feel there is a problem.

Background: Older adults are very unlikely to seek mental health help. There are multiple factors that contribute to a person’s final decision to seek formal help. The aim of this study is to systematically review and summarize quantitative literature on the barriers and facilitators that influence older adult’s mental health help-seeking behaviors. Methods : Four databases including PubMed-Medline, EMBASE, ProQuest central, and Scopus were searched to identify barriers and/or facilitators to mental health help-seeking behaviors. Studies were included if they satisfied the following criteria: Articles that were quantitative studies published during the period between 2015-2021, that address barriers and/or facilitators to mental health help seeking among older adults aged 65 years old or older and examining depression, anxiety, and psychological distress disorders. Help-seeking was defined as receiving a consultation from health professionals such as a general practitioner, clinical psychologist, councilor, or social worker. Study quality and risk of bias was assessed using The Newcastle-Ottawa Scale (NOS). Results: Five cross-sectional studies met the inclusion criteria for this review. These studies were from Australia, United States, and Malaysia, and were carried out during the period 2015-2021. Two studies examined both facilitators and barriers while three studies examined barriers only. Neither of the studies examined facilitators only. The prevalence of seeking mental health help among elderly people ranged between 77% to 82%. Cost, stigma, and beliefs of the effectiveness of mental health counseling, were the most reported key barriers. Main reported facilitators included prior positive experience with mental health services, high level of education, and a high-income level. Conclusion: The findings reported in this systematic review can be used in future research and practical implications to assess the barriers and facilitators among older adults.