Suchergebnisse

Women with mental illnesses have reported that one painful aspect of living with their diagnosis is the loss of personal identity when they are labeled "mentally ill." Although a number of studies have focused on services to address issues of relevance to women, few have explored the different ways in which women and men view services within the mental health system. Using a focus-group approach, the authors conducted a study that examined the service needs and views of women and men with mental illnesses. This article reports on this study and identifies the participants' common and unique needs and views and discusses the implications for research and practice.

Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) are rarely used to evaluate social and behavioral interventions designed for releasing prisoners. Objective: We use a pilot RCT of a social support intervention (Support Matters) as a case example to discuss obstacles and strategies for conducting RCT intervention evaluations that span prison and community contexts. Method: First, we summarize existing studies with current and former prisoner samples that highlight RCT methodological techniques. Then, we introduce the trial of Support Matters and discuss obstacles and efforts to overcome those obstacles. Results and Conclusions: We focus on factors related to sampling frame, participant eligibility, sample size, engagement, and attrition. We conclude with general recommendations related to project delays, compromised research sites, and retention. This article provides guidance based on lessons learned from an RCT of a social support intervention with releasing prisoners and their loved ones. Barriers discussed and recommendations presented here will help interventionists develop and implement RCTs in prison to community contexts.