Personality and mental health : an investigation of South African police trainees

The relationship between personality and mental health was investigated in one cohort of police trainees at a South African Police Academy (1145 police recruits; 648 men, 497 women). Male trainees reported less somatisation, depression, anxiety, and phobic anxiety symptoms and lower harm avoidance as well as higher persistence than female trainees. A cluster analysis based on the personality scores was used to identify three clusters with personality profiles characterized as Vulnerable, Healthy, and Intermediate profiles. Sociodemographic variables and temperament and character domain scores contributed separately and differentially to the explanation of variance in mental health symptom scores. Selection tools should be developed to identify Vulnerable individuals in terms of personality characteristics during selection and prior to training, to prevent later problems with stress reactions. Additional training modules focusing on coping skills could possibly reduce vulnerability to stress in some trainees

The mental health of populations directly and indirectly exposed to violent conflict in Indonesia

Background Large disasters affect people who live both near and far from the areas in which they occur. The mental health impact is expected to be similar to a ripple effect, where the risk of mental health consequences generally decreases with increasing distance from the disaster center. However, we have not been able to identify studies of the ripple effect of man-made disaster on mental health in low-income countries. Objectives The objective was to examine the hypothesis of a ripple effect on the mental health consequences in populations exposed to man-made disasters in a developing country context, through a comparison of two different populations living in different proximities from the center of disaster in Mollucas. Methods Cross-sectional longitudinal data were collected from 510 Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) living in Ambon, who were directly exposed to the violence, and non-IDPs living in remote villages in Mollucas, Indonesia, who had never been directly exposed to violence in Mollucas. Data were collected during home visits and statistical comparisons were conducted by using chi square tests, t-test and logistic regression. Results There was significantly more psychological distress "caseness" in IDPs than non-IDPs. The mental health consequences of the violent conflict in Ambon supported the ripple effect hypothesis as displacement status appears to be a strong risk factor for distress, both as a main effect and interaction effect. Significantly higher percentages of IDPs experienced traumatic events than non-IDPs in all six event types reported. Conclusions This study indicates that the conflict had an impact on mental health and economic conditions far beyond the area where the actual violent events took place, in a diminishing pattern in line with the hypothesis of a ripple effect

Burnout among Social Workers in Iran: Relations to Individual Characteristics and Client Violence

Abstract Social workers are considered a professional group at high risk of burnout. Noticing the insufficient human resource management and understaffed social work centers, Iranian social workers are faced with a considerable level of physical and mental stress, which can lead to burnout. A national study on 390 social workers was conducted. Among social workers, 10.9% had experienced burnout and 17.4% are at risk of developing burnout. Social workers scored higher in burnout if they were dissatisfied with their income, had experienced violence, or had lower self-esteem. Findings are discussed with regard to Iranian context and recommendations for authorities of Iranian state welfare organizations are made

Migration experience, resilience and depression: a study of Iranian immigrants living in Australia

The challenges of migration can jeopardize mental health, but also can provide opportunities for growth. This study investigated the association between levels of depression and socio-demographic and migration variables, and the role of resilience as a mediator between these features. A cross-sectional study was conducted of 182 Iranian immigrants living across Australia who completed an online questionnaire. Higher levels of depression were found in participants who were unemployed, experienced high levels of discrimination, had an incomplete tertiary education, and were younger and unmarried (p < 0.05). Higher levels of education, experience of moderate levels of discrimination and being married were associated with lower levels of depression mediated by resilience. Higher levels of depression were correlated with lower levels of resilience (r = -0.50, p < 0.001). The results of this study suggest several possible approaches to prevention of depression in immigrants. These may include improving employment opportunities, reducing discrimination, approaches that reduce the stress of the settlement process and interventions that aim to strengthen resilience