Tolerating uncertainty: Causal beliefs of mental health disorders and their relationship to views of ideal treatment among mental health professionals in open dialogue practice in Western Lapland
Nikanne, Patrik (2021)
2021
Psykologian maisteriohjelma - Master's Programme in Psychology
Yhteiskuntatieteiden tiedekunta - Faculty of Social Sciences
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Hyväksymispäivämäärä
2021-06-07
Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:tuni-202105215277
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:tuni-202105215277
Tiivistelmä
This study investigates how the mental health professionals in open dialogue -based services in the catchment area of Western Lapland in Finland view the causes and ideal treatment of mental health disorders. Open dialogue is an integrative network-based approach to treating mental health crises. The bio-psycho-social model of mental health is an ideal of understanding and treating mental health disorders from a holistic perspective that takes into account the biological, psychological and social aspects of these phenomena.
A questionnaire that investigated the causal beliefs of mental health disorders and views of ideal treatment was given to the mental health professionals in Western Lapland. Of the professionals, 86% (N = 87) responded the questionnaire. Among the professionals, the social causal beliefs were most prevalent, the psychological causal beliefs secondly and the biological causal beliefs least prevalent. The significant differences of the emphases on these causal beliefs were confirmed with an analysis of variance. In the professionals’ views of good treatment, three distinct dimensions were found with a factor analysis. These dimensions were labelled as medicalization, social support and needs-adaptedness / networks as general orientations to treatment. Linear regression analyses showed that the biological and psychological causal beliefs were connected to the medicalization orientation of treatment while the social causal beliefs were connected to the needs-adaptedness orientation.
This study provides information of the ways in which the mental health professionals in open dialogue -based services in Western Lapland understand the causes of mental health disorders and their ideal treatment. Combining this to the promising treatment results they have achieved in earlier studies (especially in the treatment of severe mental health disorders), there are lessons to be learned from their orientation, which this study concentrates on. A holistic view of mental health with a social emphasis and tolerance of uncertainty is suggested in developing mental health work.
A questionnaire that investigated the causal beliefs of mental health disorders and views of ideal treatment was given to the mental health professionals in Western Lapland. Of the professionals, 86% (N = 87) responded the questionnaire. Among the professionals, the social causal beliefs were most prevalent, the psychological causal beliefs secondly and the biological causal beliefs least prevalent. The significant differences of the emphases on these causal beliefs were confirmed with an analysis of variance. In the professionals’ views of good treatment, three distinct dimensions were found with a factor analysis. These dimensions were labelled as medicalization, social support and needs-adaptedness / networks as general orientations to treatment. Linear regression analyses showed that the biological and psychological causal beliefs were connected to the medicalization orientation of treatment while the social causal beliefs were connected to the needs-adaptedness orientation.
This study provides information of the ways in which the mental health professionals in open dialogue -based services in Western Lapland understand the causes of mental health disorders and their ideal treatment. Combining this to the promising treatment results they have achieved in earlier studies (especially in the treatment of severe mental health disorders), there are lessons to be learned from their orientation, which this study concentrates on. A holistic view of mental health with a social emphasis and tolerance of uncertainty is suggested in developing mental health work.