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This article addresses the challenges faced by postgraduate (PG) psychiatry students in India and provides recommendations for improving the assessment process and thesis work. It suggests modifications such as improving the allocation of guides, providing training in research methodology, and establishing a committee to facilitate the thesis process. The article also emphasizes the importance of research in clinical practice and encourages the publication of PGs' work. It recommends presenting thesis work at conferences for feedback, organizing faculty development programs, and implementing clear guidelines and ethical standards. The article suggests dividing the assessment process, incorporating MCQs in theory exams, redesigning practical exams, and regularly evaluating skills and providing feedback to students. It concludes by advocating for standardized direction and supervision, promoting research excellence, and implementing comprehensive evaluation criteria to enhance the quality of PG medical education in India. [Extracted from the article]

Background: The Indian Teachers of Psychiatry (IToP) forum introduced a unique research grant scheme- IToP-MUST (Minds United Scholarship for Teachers) Enrich Research Grant- for conducting research in psychiatry education. This scoping review's objectives are to (a) assess the research areas and methodologies of MUST Enrich grant-supported research, (b) identify strengths and limitations of these research works, and (c) inform the researchers and funding agency concerning robust methodologies and study areas that can be considered in the future. Methods: We included all MUST-funded original educational research projects from their inception (2020) to the present, which were either published or, although unpublished, available in the public domain. Results: Eleven research projects were identified. Most awardees were junior academic faculty members (n = 9, 82%). Eight (73%) studies were related to Competency-Based Medical Education (CBME) and were based on teaching-learning (TL) or related methods under the CBME framework, focusing on newer TL methods. Seven of eight (88%) were based on undergraduate TL. Most (n = 8, 73%) of the studies had an observational cross-sectional design, whereas the rest were interventional studies. Almost all were quantitative studies (n = 10, 91%). The prime themes of the research were students' and teachers' perspectives on the study topic, innovations in psychiatry TL, and their educational impact. Conclusion: This review's findings will inform funders and researchers about future research areas and help formulate robust methodologies. Other funders must earmark their funding for educational research to grow this field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: This review examines the historical developments, current state of training, existing challenges, and opportunities for undergraduate, postgraduate, and super specialty psychiatry education in India. Methods: For this narrative review, we examined information from the published literature, along with key documents from the Indian Psychiatric Society, the National Medical Commission, and other relevant sources. Conclusions: In India, psychiatry training has seen significant advancements since independence, particularly in the past decade, driven by the recommendations of the Indian Psychiatric Society and the introduction of competency-based medical education by the National Medical Commission. This transformation has redefined undergraduate and postgraduate training across all medical disciplines, including psychiatry. The shift has moved away from traditional, time-bound frameworks toward a focus on acquiring specific competencies essential for effective clinical practice. This approach ensures that trainees gain theoretical knowledge and develop practical skills and professional attitudes crucial for patient care. However, a major challenge highlighted in this review is the transition of senior residents to faculty roles without adequate training in teaching, research, academia, and leadership. Despite this, they are expected to excel in these areas upon assuming faculty positions. To address this gap, we emphasize the urgent need for a comprehensive faculty development program for early career faculty. Our proposed initiative aims to bridge these gaps and support the development of future leaders and educators in psychiatry. The recommendations outlined in this review seek to create a robust educational environment that will cultivate the next generation of psychiatrists in India. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Backgrounds: Research shows that medical students' knowledge and skills concerning the assessment of cognition in various neuropsychiatric conditions (e.g., Alzheimer's disease and schizophrenia) are unsatisfactory. This research aims to conduct a training needs analysis (TNA) for medical students to identify and refer patients with neuropsychiatric conditions. Methods: The study comprised two phases. First, developing a TNA toolkit to assess training needs in clinical tasks related to cognitive function assessment (by adopting the Hennessy–Hicks TNA toolkit); and second, through a self-reported survey, their training needs in cognitive function assessment were assessed. Data analysis involved calculating training gaps, importance scores, performance scores, training scores, and organization scores for various clinical tasks-stratified participants' study year; for training needs and trends, factor analysis and post-hoc analyses were conducted. Results: A total of 153 medical students from a tertiary care center participated in the survey. The participants rated their performance lower than the perceived importance of tasks, indicating a need for improvement in all competencies (P <.01). Pre–final-year students had the highest training needs, particularly in accessing literature, planning, and organizing care for patients with cognitive impairment, performing mental status examination, screening patients for cognitive deficits, and counseling them/caregivers about interventions (P <.01). Factor analysis identified a single dominant factor, suggesting a correlation among these skills. Conclusion: Pre–final-year students require targeted training, whereas students beyond this stage can benefit from special training modules and awareness of available resources for cognitive assessment. The findings also suggest the importance of a hybrid approach involving training and organizational modifications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Several institutes of national importance (INI) have been established in the last few years to improve the quality of medical education in the country. Most INIs are autonomous and outside the purview of the National Medical Commission (NMC). Little is known about the needs of the psychiatry teachers working in INIs. The current study was planned to obtain feedback from the psychiatry teachers in INIs about the various issues pertaining to training in psychiatry. Methods: This was an online survey conducted using Google Forms involving psychiatry teachers working in autonomous INIs outside the purview of NMC. The questionnaire had mandatory items (which provided quantitative data) and optional questions (which were used for thematic analysis). Results: Our study's response rate was estimated at 48.73%. About 92.7% of respondents appreciated the need for training in undergraduate psychiatry. Though fewer residents were trained in medical education, the felt need for training among residents was comparable to that among faculty members. The major themes of targeted training, as reported, were found to be in sync with the current demands of the curriculum. Conclusion: There is a substantial need for training among the teachers of psychiatry in the INIs. This study provided with some groundwork regarding the strengths and weaknesses of teaching psychiatry in INIs. Further studies on this topic, using a qualitative design, should be planned to understand the nuances of working in an autonomous institute. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Undergraduate (UG) medical students are one of the stakeholders and ultimate beneficiaries of the competency-based medical education (CBME) curriculum introduced in 2019 by the National Medical Commission (NMC). There is a dearth of literature on student perspectives on CBME Psychiatry clinical posting in India. Methods: Second professional students who attended the psychiatry clinical posting were invited to participate in the qualitative study. They were asked to give perspectives about the training during clinical posting based on a semi-structured questionnaire. Results: Written feedback forms were obtained from 44 students. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis. Results showed the perceived impact of posting (change in knowledge, skills, and attitude), barriers to learning (student factors, patient factors, interaction factors, structural factors), and feedback on training during clinical posting (structural factors, practice over theory). Conclusion: UG students perceived improvement in their knowledge, attitude, and clinical skills during their posting in Psychiatry. They reported several barriers to learning at variouslevels. Their feedback to improve the posting focused on demonstrating skills using patients rather than theory classes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) is the most comprehensive set of standards promoting and protecting children's interests. It can be utilized to create appropriate policies and legislation that enshrine the values identified in the UNCRC. In India, children have been considered only in the context of their family and were welfare recipients in the past, but more legislation has been enacted to protect and promote the child's rights. A comparative review will help identify how the new legislation enacted after India ratified the UNCRC directly or indirectly addressed children's mental health. Methodology: Legislation enacted after 1992 with the search term "child" was identified in the Indian national portal for legislation. These were compared against specific articles of the UNCRC identified to have a direct or indirect bearing on children's mental health. Results: The review revealed that only 11 of the 32 legislation enacted after 1992 address different aspects of children's mental health. Only three refer to the UNCRC in their preamble or content. Six of the 11 legislation addressed Article 24, while Article 32 and Article 34 were addressed in only one legislation each. Notably, most of the legislation is focused on child protection, while very few address the participation component of the guiding principles. Discussion: The UNCRC is a valuable guide to creating a legal framework to support child rights. This review highlights the need to consider children's mental health as a fundamental right and incorporate the principles into future Indian legislation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Nomophobia is a situational phobia evoked by unavailability of smart phone or the thought of the possibility of not having it, not being able to use it and losing it. Currently used instruments for assessment of severity of nomophobia offers challenges of administration and have limited applicability in the Indian setting. Therefore, this study was aimed to depict and understand the lived experience of college students with nomophobia and making sense of it. Methods: This interpretative phenomenological analysis research design study was carried out on 17 undergraduate students belonging to different academic streams including Science, Social science and Commerce from the three study sites situated in different locations of India. An in-depth interview guide was prepared. The students who scored more than 90 on nomophobia questionnaire (NMP-Q Questionnaire) were included in the study. The data was recorded in audio and video format, it was transcribed, and translated from Hindi to English language. Coding was done and the theme were extracted. Results: The findings identified six superordinate themes: Digital Obsession, Digital Compulsion, Approval Motivation, Digital Intensement, Digital Well-being and Insight. Conclusion: The lived experiences of the students with nomophobia had explicitly shown a strong inclination towards the smartphone. They also focused on some of the significant aids provided by the smartphone. Further the intensive use of the smartphone was posing major challenges to the students when they were away from it. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: There is little and heterogeneous knowledge on the links between the temperamental predispositions of psychopathology and the contemporary dimensional models of psychopathology, such as the Hierarchical Taxonomy of Psychopathology (HiTOP) classification system, which can be aligned with the five-factor model (FFM) of personality. This meta-analysis seeks to expand the temperamental theoretical basis of the HiTOP model by incorporating associations of temperament traits of two temperamental theories measured, respectively, by the Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI) and the Temperament Evaluation of Memphis, Pisa, Paris, and San Diego Autoquestionnaire (TEMPS-A) with (a) the FFM's personality domains and (b) HiTOP's five psychopathological spectra. Methods: A systematic search was done on Web of Science, Scopus, PubMed, ProQuest, Cochrane Database, and Google Scholar for all articles published in English from January 1990 to August 2020. Because of heterogeneity in the results of almost 70% of studies, pooled estimates of correlation coefficients were calculated using the random-effects method. Risk of bias (low-quality studies) and publication bias are reported. Results: The pooled correlations obtained from the analysis of 35 studies showed that the temperamental profile associated with each FFM domain and HiTOP spectra is distinct. Specifically, TCI-harm avoidance (HA) and all TEMPS temperaments were more strongly related to neuroticism/internalizing, extraversion/low detachment, and conscientiousness/disinhibition. In contrast, TCI-novelty seeking was more strongly related to both disinhibited/antagonistic externalizing and thought disorder. Conclusions: A large body of research supports maladaptive variants of all FFM domains and some psychopathological spectra of HiTOP related to the abnormal-range temperaments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Various assessment tools that explore and assess mindfulness are available. Keeping in view both the origin of and the literature surrounding mindfulness assessment tools, this study aimed to evaluate the workability of one widely researched tool, the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire (FFMQ), for establishing cross-cultural generalizability and utility in the Indian context. Methods: We recruited 303 adults over 18 with proficiency in the Tamil language and no history of significant neurological trauma and/or psychiatric history. They completed a version of the 39-item FFMQ, which we had translated into Tamil (FFMQ-T). The psychometric properties of this scale were tested using the Partial-Credit model of Rasch analysis. Results: Iterative Rasch analysis could not resolve consistent misfit of the Observe facet items. Using a subtest approach, a higher-order fit of the FFMQ-T could be achieved after the deletion of additional items from each of the remaining four facets. The resulting final model for the FFMQ-T questionnaire was a four-factor solution with 22 items. Conclusions: This study concluded the usability of the new 22-item FFMQ-T. These results are not dissimilar to the other versions in similar populations, such as the Hindi version of the FFMQ. The ordinal-to-interval conversion tables provided here ensure that the FFMQ-T can be used with enhanced precision and parametric statistics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Social workers constitute a significant task force that serves diverse populations experiencing psychosocial challenges in their daily lives. Lack of suicide prevention content/training in the Master of Social Work program may affect the student's self-esteem/ability to intervene when they come across a person with suicidality in the field. Developing a suicide prevention training module for social work students would be a suitable measure for upbringing their skills in dealing with individuals with suicidality. Method: The purpose of the present study was to develop a suicide prevention training module for social work students at the postgraduate level. The researcher conducted two Focused Group Discussions (FGD) each with social work students (n = 13) and social work educators (n = 15) on an online platform. Notes were taken during the discussion, and the contents were videotaped. The videotaped content was transcribed, and content analysis was used to analyze the data. The content that emerged from the FGD with social work students and educators was discussed in later FGD with mental health experts (two psychiatrists, one psychologist, two psychiatric social workers, and two mental health nurses). The discussion with experts clarified what components to retain for the training program. Results: Five major themes and 22 sub-themes emerged from the two FGDs each with students and educators, and one FGD with mental health professionals are described. The five major themes were understanding of suicidality, understanding suicide education in the master of social work curriculum, experience with suicidality, training content suggestion, and suggestions for future implications. Conclusions: The present study identified the need for suicide prevention training in postgraduate-level social work students. Furthermore, a lack of suicide prevention training was observed indicating the incorporation of suicide education in the postgraduate curriculum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: There is increasing evidence of the need for treatment engagement between Persons with Severe Mental Illnesses (PwSMIs) and Mental Health Professionals (MHPs). This therapeutic process involves collaborative work between patients and MHPs, which improves the condition. Community nurses are uniquely positioned to facilitate this process as they act as the focal point of interaction between patients and the health system. Methods: This qualitative study explored the community nurses' experiences in treatment engagement with PwSMI through eight group interviews of 35 community nurses from District Mental Health Programs (DMHPs) across Karnataka (South India) from February 2020 to March 2020. The audio recordings of the interviews were transcribed and coded to arrive at themes and subthemes. Results: The major themes identified were factors influencing treatment engagement, strategies to tackle treatment nonengagement, and challenges in dealing with nonengagement. The reasons for nonengagement were lack of insight and lack of knowledge of sociocultural, logistic, and treatment-related factors. The DMHP teams contacted patients through phone calls, home visits, and liaisons with health workers and intervened with them through education and depot injections. The major challenges were difficulty conducting home visits, distances, the unavailability of medications, and the need for adequate infrastructure and human resources. Conclusion: Community nurses address a few factors of nonengagement, such as insight, sociocultural factors, and treatment-related factors. Addressing the systemic challenges and adequate training of nurses in intervening in the dropped-out PwSMIs would help to reduce the treatment gap. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Cognitive training (CT) for illness-linked neuropsychological deficits has been attempted in psychiatric disorders and, more recently, in obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). However, studies are few and far between, with a limited understanding of factors contributing to efficacy. This article aims to provide a comprehensive critical review of studies employing CT in OCD. Methods: This systematic review follows the Preferred Reporting of Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analyses Protocols. Empirical studies that used any form of CT/remediation in individuals with OCD were included. Results: Eight articles met the criteria for inclusion, of which five were randomized controlled trials, two were case series, and one was an open-label trial. The studies have predominantly demonstrated improved trained cognitive functions, with only two showing generalization to untrained domains like clinical symptoms and socio-occupational functioning. Conclusion: There are few controlled trials of CT in OCD, which limits conclusions of efficacy. Given the sparse research in the area, the review summarizes the current status of research and examines important methodological considerations that may inform future studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Being a typically developing sibling to a child with autism spectrum disorder (ASD-Sib) can be associated with several behavioral and mental health problems. With this understanding, researchers are beginning to focus on sibling-oriented interventions. This review seeks to evaluate the current literature on such interventions. We searched digital databases and identified eight relevant studies. The sample (n = 247) had an age range of 4–16 years. The outcomes were generally positive, with improvements in different facets of ASD-Sibs. Results differed due to varied intervention styles, outcome variables, methods, and samples. Our findings highlight the potential for improvement in ASD-Sib's knowledge of autism and their psychological functioning and hence call for further research with robust methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: As no scales are currently available to assess the social-emotional reciprocity (SER) between children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and their parents, we aimed to develop a questionnaire for this. Methods: Both quantitative and qualitative techniques were used for content validation. All stages of this study used purposive sampling to choose various groups of experts, mental health professionals, and parents of children with ASD to participate in the development, judgment-quantifying, and pretest stages. Data from 30 parents of children with ASD were gathered for the field test. Results: Thirty items were retained after content validation. The proportion of consensus regarding the comprehensiveness of the entire questionnaire was 1.00. The scale-level content validity index (CVI) by averaging calculation method and universal agreement calculation method were 0.95 and 0.50, respectively. Following the pretest, a total of 23 questions, on a five-point scale, were retained. Conclusion: Given the significance of SER between children with ASD and their parents, mental health practitioners should use this questionnaire to understand it to maximize the efficacy of any intervention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Among the Indian adolescents, the prevalence of psychiatric morbidity and alcohol use disorders (AUD) are 7.3% and 1.3%. However, no separate data are available for indigenous tribal populations. This study estimated the prevalence of psychiatric morbidity and AUD and associated socio-demographic factors among adolescents in the tribal communities in three widely varying states in India. Methods: Using validated Indian versions of the MINI 6.0, MINI Kid 6.0, and ICD-10 criteria, we conducted a cross-sectional survey from January to May 2019 in three Indian sites: Valsad, Gujarat (western India); Nilgiris, Tamil Nadu (south India); and East Khasi Hills district of Meghalaya (north-east India) on 623 indigenous tribal adolescents. Results: Aggregate prevalence of any psychiatric morbidity was 15.9% (95% CI: 13.1–19.0) (males: 13.6%, 95% CI: 10.0–18.1; females: 17.9%, 95% CI: 13.9–22.6), with site-wise statistically significant differences: Gujarat: 23.8% (95% CI: 18.1–30.2), Meghalaya: 17.1% (95% CI: 12.4–22.7), Tamil Nadu: 6.2% (95% CI: 3.2–10.5). The prevalence of diagnostic groups was mood disorders 6.4% (n = 40), neurotic- and stress-related disorders 9.1% (n = 57), phobic anxiety disorder 6.3% (n = 39), AUD 2.7% (n = 17), behavioral and emotional disorders 2.7% (n = 17), and obsessive-compulsive disorder 2.2% (n = 14). These differed across the sites. Conclusion: The prevalence of psychiatric morbidity in adolescent tribals is approximately twice the national average. The most common psychiatric morbidities reported are mood (affective) disorders, neurotic- and stress-related disorders, phobic anxiety disorder, AUD, behavioral and emotional disorders, andobsessive-compulsive disorder. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Mental Healthcare Act 2017 (MHCA) came into force on 29 May 2018. Goa State Mental Health Authority (GSMHA) notified the Mental Health Review Board on 8 February 2022, completing the important process of implementation of the act. The transition comes with challenges. Methods: A qualitative study was conducted with 18 practicing psychiatrists who had worked under Mental Health Act 1987 as well as MHCA 2017 through purposive sampling across Goa. Data was collected through individual interviews; analysis was done by Braune and Clarke's framework of Thematic Analysis. Results: Eighteen psychiatrists participated: 4 private, 3 secondary and 11 from tertiary levels. The themes extracted were work during MHA 1987, transition, and after the implementation of MHCA 2017. Some participants reported difficulties, felt an increase in workload, and had negative emotions, while a few were neutral, indicating mixed perceptions. Conclusion: This study highlights the administrative struggles and moral dilemmas faced by psychiatrists in handling the new legislation. It's imperative that the implementation of new act should be carried out with sufficient resource allocation and monitoring mechanisms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Objective: United States Food and Drug Administration (USFDA) recently approved a novel combination of olanzapine-samidorphan (OLZSAM) for managing olanzapine-associated adverse events (weight gain) in adult patients with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. To opine about the safety and efficacy of OLZSAM, authors performed a systematic review and meta-analysis to convene justifiable evidence. Methods: A thorough literature search was performed through the databases Embase, Cochrane Library, PubMed, and clinicaltrials.gov, from inception to September 2022, with the keywords: 'olanzapine and samidorphan' and schizophrenia; and "ALKS3831" and "lybalvi." Clinical trials published in English that analyzed the efficacy and safety of OLZSAM were included. The significant outcomes included in this study were change from baseline (CFB) in Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) at the end of the study, the proportion of patients with weight gain at the end of the study, the proportion of patients with at least one adverse event, and the incidence of drug discontinuation due to adverse events. Results: The change in PANSS score at the end of the study was comparable among groups receiving OLZSAM and olanzapine alone: standardized mean difference (SMD) = 0.04; 95% CI = -0.09 to 0.17; p = 0.57. The OLZSAM group reported less incidence of weight gain: risk ratio (RR) = 0.91; 95% CI = 0.62–1.34; p = 0.63, and any adverse event: RR = 0.99; 95% CI = 0.90–1.09; p = 0.81. Drug discontinuation incidence was higher in the OLZSAM group: RR = 1.22; 95% CI = 0.84–1.79; p = 0.30. Conclusions: The combination OLZSAM showed comparable efficacy to olanzapine alone in schizophrenia patients, with relatively less incidence of weight gain and adverse events; however, the drug discontinuation due to adverse events was more in the OLZSAM group. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Drug use is a major public health issue in India. Significant changes in the approach toward drug use have happened in the last few decades. Despite this, no systematic attempt has been made to document the same in the scientific literature. This narrative review attempts to discuss the major drug laws, policies, and national programs of the Government of India (GoI). Methods: A thorough search was conducted to look for policies, programs, acts, and notifications related to substance use/drug use on various websites of different ministries of the GoI. Acts, programs, and policies addressing substance use were identified. Results: Various drug laws, programs, and acts from the GoI provide a multipronged approach to curbing the procurement of drug use along with its prevention and cure. The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment (MoSJE) is the nodal ministry for drug demand reduction. The enactment of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act 1985 and Policy 2012 and the implementation of India's Drug De-Addiction Program (DDAP) are important landmarks in this journey. Conclusion: The GoI initiatives for reducing the mental health burden in this country in general and substance use disorders (SUDs), in particular, are immense. The acts/statutes/laws/notifications are all interlinked. Stakeholders in mental health, public health, and policy-making need to upgrade themselves with the relevant statutes to curb the menace of drug use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article explores the significance of compassion in mental healthcare and its potential to enhance well-being. It acknowledges the gap between theory and practice in implementing compassion in real-world settings and examines how compassion is understood in different cultures. The article also discusses the role of compassion in the broader healthcare system, emphasizing the importance of equal access to services. It concludes by highlighting the relevance of compassion in mental healthcare and the benefits it can bring to both patients and healthcare professionals. The article suggests various strategies to cultivate a compassionate environment, such as training workshops for mental health professionals, considering clients' perspectives, incorporating compassion-based training in education, promoting conversations that inspire hope, and embracing the concept of narrative medicine. It also emphasizes the role of community care in supporting individuals with mental health conditions and underscores the need for compassionate leadership in healthcare organizations. Additionally, the article briefly explores the relationship between capitalism and compassion and calls for discussions on creating a just society. The authors stress the necessity of empirical research on compassionate mental healthcare. [Extracted from the article]

This letter discusses the use of Morita therapy, developed by Shoma Morita in Japan, as a treatment for fear of blushing, specifically in cases of Taijin Kyofusho (TKS). TKS is a condition similar to social anxiety disorder, characterized by intense fear in interpersonal situations. While TKS has traditionally been associated with Japanese culture, a case series from India suggests that it may transcend cultures. Morita therapy, originally considered specific to East Asian cultures, has been increasingly used in the West and is now seen as a globally applicable treatment. The letter emphasizes the need for further quantitative research on the effectiveness of Morita therapy for TKS in India. [Extracted from the article]

Research outcomes in mental health disciplines are usually assessed using rating instruments that were developed as English language versions. However, in countries such as India, English is not the native language, and patients at even a single research center may speak in different regional tongues. It is permissible to assess such patients using rater-administered English language instruments designed to be scored after an unstructured interview conducted in the patient's preferred language. For many reasons, related to reliability and validity, it is not permissible to assess such patients in their preferred language by translating, impromptu, from English language versions of instruments that were designed to be self-administered or administered as a structured interview. In such situations, standardized, local language versions of the instruments should be used; that is, local language versions with established reliability and validity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article discusses a community-based public health initiative called "Stories against stigma: A walking tour of NIMHANS" conducted at the National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences in Bengaluru, India. The tour aimed to reduce stigma and discrimination towards persons with mental illness (PWMI) by providing in-person social contact and educational information. The study involved a baseline assessment of participants' attitudes and knowledge about mental illness before the tour, as well as a feedback form to assess the impact of the tour experience. The majority of participants reported a positive shift in their attitude towards mental health and appreciated the opportunity to address misconceptions about PWMI through direct interactions with professionals. The article suggests that walking tours like this could be organized at other mental health establishments to combat stigma and improve mental health literacy. [Extracted from the article]