People with psychiatric disabilities frequently experience difficulties in pursuing higher education. For instance, the nature of their disability and its treatment, stigmatization and discrimination can be overwhelming obstacles. These difficulties can eventually lead to early school leaving and consequently to un- or underemployment. Unfortunately, support services for (future) students with psychiatric disabilities are often not available at colleges and universities or at mental health organizations.For the social inclusion and (future) labor opportunities of people with psychiatric disabilities it is of the utmost importance that they have better access to higher education, and are able to complete such study successfully. Supported Education is a means to reach these goals. Supported Education is defined as the provision of individualized, practical support and instruction to assist people with psychiatric disabilities to achieve their educational goals (Anthony, Cohen, Farkas, & Gagne, 2002).The main aim of the ImpulSE project (see Appendix 1 for information about the project's organization) was the development of a toolkit for Supported Education services for (future) students with psychiatric disabilities. The toolkit is based upon needs and resources assessments from the four participating countries, as well as good practices from these.Secondly, a European network of Supported Education (ENSEd) is initiated, starting with a first International Conference on Supported Education. The aim of ENSEd is to raise awareness in the EU about the educational needs of (future) students with psychiatric disabilities and for services that help to remove the barriers for this target group.The toolkit is aimed at students’ counselors, trainers, teachers and tutors, mental health managers and workers, and local authority officials involved in policymaking concerning people with psychiatric disabilities. It enables field workers to improve guidance and counseling to (future) students with psychiatric disabilities, supporting them in their educational careers.In the Netherlands alone, it is estimated that six per cent of the total student population suffers from a psychiatric disability—that is, a total of 40,000 students. On a European scale, the number of students with a psychiatric disability is therefore considerably high. We hope that through the project these students will be better empowered to be successful in their educational careers and that their chances in the labor market and their participation in society at large will be improved.
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Van 17 tot 26 november 2016 werd door medewerkers van het Lectoraat Rehabilitatie een werkbezoek afgelegd aan de Westkaap in Zuid Afrika. Eén onderdeel van het bezoek was de deelname aan het wereldcongres van de World Psychiatric Association, waarbij ook zelf een symposium over Begeleid Leren werd verzorgd. Een ander onderdeel waren werkbezoeken aan diverse (rehabilitatie)activiteiten in Wellington en omgeving.Het doel van het bezoek was om kennis over Begeleid Leren verder te verspreiden en om de al bijna 18 jaar bestaande samenwerkingsrelatie tussen het lectoraat Rehabilitatie en rehabilitatie- en herstelprogramma’s in de Westkaap te vernieuwen.
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Background: Persons with an intellectual disability are at increased risk of experiencing adversities. The current study aims at providing an overview of the research on how resilience in adults with intellectual disabilities, in the face of adversity, is supported by sources in their social network. Method: A literature review was conducted in the databases Psycinfo and Web of Science. To evaluate the quality of the included studies, the Mixed Method Appraisal Tool (MMAT) was used. Results: The themes: “positive emotions,” “network acceptance,” “sense of coherence” and “network support,” were identified as sources of resilience in the social network of the adults with intellectual disabilities. Conclusion: The current review showed that research addressing sources of resilience among persons with intellectual disabilities is scarce. In this first overview, four sources of resilience in the social network of people with intellectual disabilities were identified that interact and possibly strengthen each other.
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There is increasing interest in the use of experiential knowledge and the development of experiential expertise in mental health. Yet, little is known about how best to use this expertise in the role of a psychiatrist. This study aims to gain insight into the concerns of psychiatrists using their lived experiences with mental health distress as a source of knowledge for patients, colleagues and themselves. Eighteen psychiatrists with lived experience as patients in mental health care were interviewed with a semi-structured questionnaire. The interviews were analyzed using qualitative narrative thematic analysis. The majority of the respondents use their lived experience implicitly in the contact with patients, which makes the contact more equal and strengthens the treatment relationship. When explicitly using experiential knowledge in the contact with patients, thought should be given at forehand to its purpose, timing and dosage. Recommendations are that the psychiatrist should be able to reflect on his/her lived experience from a sufficient distance and should take patient factors into account. When working in a team, it is advisable to discuss the use of experiential knowledge in advance with the team. An open organizational culture facilitates the use of experiential knowledge and safety and stability in the team are vital. Current professional codes do not always offer the space to be open. Organizational interests play a role, in the degree of self-disclosure as it can lead to conflict situations and job loss. Respondents unanimously indicated that the use of experiential knowledge in the role of a psychiatrist is a personal decision. Self-reflection and peer supervision with colleagues can be helpful to reflect on different considerations with regard to the use of experiential knowledge. Having personal lived experiences with a mental disorder affects the way psychiatrists think about and performs the profession. The perception of psychopathology becomes more nuanced and there seems to be an increased understanding of the suffering. Even though harnessing experiential knowledge makes the doctor-patient relationship more horizontal it remains unequal because of the difference in roles. However, if adequately used, experiential knowledge can enhance the treatment relationship.
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This study aims to explore the experiences and needs of individuals after a first episode of psychosis with regard to the way in which information about diagnosis, treatment options and prognosis is communicated with them. psychosis, communicating, stigma, needs, individual’s perception
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Background Clients facing decision-making for long-term care are in need of support and accessible information. Construction of preferences, including context and calculations, for clients in long-term care is challenging because of the variability in supply and demand. This study considers clients in four different sectors of long-term care: the nursing and care of the elderly, mental health care, care of people with disabilities, and social care. The aim is to understand the construction of preferences in real-life situations. Method Client choices were investigated by qualitative descriptive research. Data were collected from 16 in-depth interviews and 79 client records. Interviews were conducted with clients and relatives or informal caregivers from different care sectors. The original client records were explored, containing texts, letters, and comments of clients and caregivers. All data were analyzed using thematic analysis. Results Four cases showed how preferences were constructed during the decision-making process. Clients discussed a wide range of challenging aspects that have an impact on the construction of preferences, e.g. previous experiences, current treatment or family situation. This study describes two main characteristics of the construction of preferences: context and calculation. Conclusion Clients face diverse challenges during the decision-making process on long-term care and their construction of preferences is variable. A well-designed tool to support the elicitation of preferences seems beneficial.
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