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Identity is a complex concept that can be informed by various factors, involving biological, psychological, experiential, and social influences. Specifically, one's social identity refers to the ways in which individuals can adopt attributes from established collective categories, like cultural identities, ethnic identities, gender identities, and class identities, amongst others. Social identity can encompass unique and diverse interactions at an individual level, known as micro-identities, that may be selectively expressed, hidden, or downplayed, contingent on distinct sociocultural settings. However, the formation of social identity is recurrently defined in opposition to perceptions of the Other, which can entail adverse paradigms of marginalisation, stigma, and discrimination. Although this theory of Otherness has been developed across different fields, particularly sociology, it may be important in psychiatric contexts as it can engender inherent risk factors and mental health inequalities. Consequently, this paper seeks to bring attention towards these issues, exploring the construction of Otherness and its detrimental outcomes for psychiatry, such as systemic discrimination and disparities in therapeutic support, alongside recommended initiatives to mitigate against the effects of Otherness. This may require multifactorial approaches that include cultural competency training, interventions informed by micro-identities and intersectionality, patient advocacy, and structural changes to mental health policy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The feelings and hopes of young people around the world are often neglected in policymaking and research, with consequences for both their wellbeing and the effectiveness of humanity's response to the climate crisis. Many of them are distressed by climate change's impacts, the inaction of political and corporate leaders, the ways other people respond to their feelings, and the lack of support they have to share their feelings or get involved in meaningful climate-related work. This paper is written by a group of twenty-three concerned young people from fifteen countries. It provides a first-hand account of our deepest feelings, how these feelings affect our daily lives, the support we want to help us cope, and our hopes for a radically more compassionate future. The results are particularly relevant to policymakers, mental health professionals, journalists, educators, and people working with young people more widely. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Numbers are ubiquitous to modern existence and have evolved with humanity over millenia. They structure, record and quantify human behaviour, spiritual belief systems and the evolution of innovation across all spheres of life. Furthermore, cultural identities and interpersonal expression often have numerical components to them for instance rites of passage, population demography and fiscal measures. The salience of numbers in both historical and contemporary cultural life arguably plays a role in individual psyches and the experience of distress or wellness. This paper illustrates the cultural relativism of numbers through superstition and foreboding to auspiciousness in different societies. As a short hand for the quantification of multiple phenomena in low literacy to high technology populations, rural and urban societies as well as traditional and evolving societies, numbers have and will continue to be core to all cultures as they have from prehistoric to contemporary times. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is considerable evidence to suggest that individuals with mental illness as well as their carers and families are discriminated against across a number of domains. It is also well recognized that people with mental illness are likely to die younger than their counterparts who do not have mental illness. We propose that a Magna Carta is urgently needed to protect the rights of people with mental illness and help reduce discrimination. In this paper a background and rationale for this is offered alongside suggestions for reducing discrimination. The simple message is this; progress in health, economic, environmental and global development will not be made without improvements in mental health. The reasons are equally straightforward as mental illnesses cause more disability than any other health condition and bring enormous pain and suffering to individuals, their families and communities. These impacts lead to early death, damage to the economy and restrain individual progress. Every country needs to take urgent responsibility for defending the rights of individuals with mental illness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lesbian, gay and bisexual people continue to suffer minority stress around the world, but particularly in Africa, the Middle East and Eastern Europe. This anti-homosexual prejudice can enter into the therapist–client relationship and seriously damage the outcome of psychotherapy, particularly in instances where therapists regard their clients’ sexuality as contributing to their psychological difficulties. This paper takes an historical perspective to research on the attitudes of a range of professionals who provide talking therapies or other types of psychological support to their clients who are lesbian, gay or bisexual. The nature and origins of prejudice, its effects on LGB clients, and how it might best be addressed are considered. Challenging the ethics and evidence base for treatments that purport to change sexual orientation, as well as asking heterosexual therapists to reflect on their own heteronormative assumptions, are crucial to effecting change and ensuring LGB people are treated equally to their heterosexual counterparts. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Australia has been implementing routine outcome measurement in its specialized public sector mental health services for over a decade. It uses a range of clinician-rated and consumer-rated measures that are administered at set times during episodes of inpatient, ambulatory and community residential episodes of care. Routine outcome measurement is now embedded in service delivery, and data are made available in a variety of ways to different audiences. These data are used by policy-makers and planners to inform decisions about system-wide reforms, by service managers to monitor quality and effectiveness, and by clinicians to guide clinical decision-making and to promote dialogue with consumers. Consumers, carers and the general community can use these data to ensure that services are accountable for the care they deliver. This paper describes the status quo in Australia with respect to routine outcome measurement, discusses the factors that led to its successful implementation, and considers the steps that are necessary for its continued development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It has been suggested that cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) needs adaptation for it to be effective for patients from collectivistic cultures, as currently CBT is underpinned by individualistic values. In prior studies we have demonstrated that CBT could be adapted for Pakistani patients in Southampton, UK, and for local populations in Pakistan. Findings from these studies suggest that CBT can be adapted for patients from collectivistic cultures using a series of steps. In this paper we focus on these steps, and the process of adapting CBT for specific groups. The adaptation process should focus on three major areas of therapy, rather than simple translation of therapy manuals. These include (1) awareness of relevant cultural issues and preparation for therapy, (2) assessment and engagement, and (3) adjustments in therapy. We also discuss the best practice guidelines that evolved from this work to help therapists working with this population. We reiterate that CBT can be adapted effectively for patients from traditional cultures. This is, however, an emerging area in psychotherapy, and further work is required to refine the methodology and to test adapted CBT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Current evidence strongly points to significant parental concerns about exposing their children to psychopharmacological medications. This is true even with stimulant medications for attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), an evidence-based treatment for children. Theory and prior evidence would predict that parents' hesitancy to give their children psychopharmacological medication is likely due to what they hear from family and friends about medication's untoward effects. That social networks impact problem definition, treatment evaluation, and service use is well established. However, it is not known how parents make treatment decisions as they cope with the reality that their child might benefit from psychopharmacological medication. The qualitative research described in this paper addresses this gap. A conceptual model is presented that describes parents' treatment decisions and participation in their children's care as they shift from parenting a child with behavioural problems to parenting a child who eventually requires psychopharmacological medication. Further research is needed to evaluate how this model can offer a more comprehensive understanding of how parents respond to a diagnostic label and various treatment options. It is hoped that this research will stimulate innovative approaches for tailoring treatments that are respectful of the individual needs of children and their families. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]