Improving
how
mental
health
patients
perceive
themselves
could
be
critical
in
treating
them,
according
to
a
study
from
the
University
of
Waterloo.
The
study
found
that
youth
with
psychiatric
disorders
currently
receiving
inpatient
services
reported
lower
self-concept,
particularly
global
self-worth,
compared
to
those
receiving
outpatient
services.
"This
was
the
first
study
that
examined
youth
with
psychiatric
disorder
by
comparing
what
type
of
service
they
were
receiving
and
whether
that
was
associated
with
self-concept,"
said
Mark
Ferro,
the
Canada
Research
Chair
in
Youth
Mental
Health
and
an
assistant
professor
in
the
Faculty
of
Applied
Health
Sciences
at
Waterloo.
"We
know
that
global
self-worth
is
lower
in
the
inpatient
group
and
we
know
from
other
research
that
lower
self-concept
is
a
precursor
to
other
more
serious
mental
health
problems."
The
study
examined
47
youth
aged
8-17
years
who
were
receiving
inpatient
and
outpatient
psychiatric
services
at
McMaster's
Children
Hospital
in
Hamilton.
The
participants'
self-concept
was
measured
using
the
Self-Perception
Profile
for
Children
and
Adolescents.
Self-concept
might
be
an
important
aspect
to
consider
when
implementing
treatment
programs
to
improve
the
mental
health
of
youth
who
are
hospitalized.
"Because
youths
who
are
in
the
inpatient
service
have
a
lower
self-concept,
therapies
within
their
overall
treatment
program
aiming
to
improve
self-worth
might
be
worthwhile,"
Ferro
said.
"Interventions
to
improve
an
individual's
self-concept
or
self-perception
would
be
complementary
to
some
of
the
more
pressing
needs
within
child
and
youth
inpatient
psychiatric
services."
The
study,
which
was
undertaken
by
Ferro
and
Hamilton
Health
Sciences
bursary
student
Chris
Choi,
was
recently
published
in
the
Journal
of
the
Canadian
Academy
of
Child
and
Adolescent
Psychiatry.
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University
of
Waterloo
University
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-30-
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Contact:
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University
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