Mental Health in Higher Education

At the end of the 1990s a group of interviewers from a range of backgrounds went across England and Wales to record first hand accounts from individuals who had experienced life in old mental health asylums. Their aim was to create a historical resource coming from an often ignored perspective - instead of relying on opinions of those distanced from the situation, it would give those with direct experience the power to speak for themselves. This link provides access to the video interviews that the Testimony Project carried out between 1999 and 2001. Full transcripts and extracts from the interviews are available. This resource provides a helpful insight for students in to how mental health services were provided in the past, and can be used as a trigger for discussion about what has (and has not!) changed.

Animated Minds is a series of short animated documentaries which use real testimony from people who have experienced different forms of mental distress. A single aim underpins all the films: to help dispel myths and misconceptions about ‘mental illness’ by giving a voice to those who experience these various difficulties first hand. I have found these extremely useful in teaching - they provide a short, highly engaging insight into the experience of mental distress and have proved helpful as triggers for discussion.

Everybody's Business is a set of free e-learning materials about the mental health of children and young people. It is aimed at people who work with children, young people and their families who are not mental health professionals. We recommend that you start with Understanding Mental Health, as this contains the underlying knowledge needed for the modules on Mental Health Promotion and the Peri-Natal & Infant Mental Health. The materials are not formally accredited but participants are able to print a certificate, similar to a 'Certificate of Attendance' on completion of each module. This resource could be extremely useful in supplementing classroom based learning - providing an up to date introduction to CAMHS issues.

This website features a series of interviews with members of the different professions working in mental health care. Psychiatrists, nurses, social workers, psychologists, and occupational therapists talk about their roles within the multidisciplinary team, and their perspectives on team working and on their client group. I have found the interviews with Bailey particularly helpful in providing an insight in to the social work role in mental health - his perception of the role is contestable and has acted as a useful trigger for discussion.

Robert Whitaker is an American journalist and author of Mad in America and Anatomy of an Epidemic. He gave this lecture in Cork on 14 March 2011, invited by the schools of nursing & midwifery and aplied social sciences, in association with the Irish Network of Critical Voices in Mental Health and sponsored by the Irish Institute of Mental Health. In it he provides a critique of medical model approaches to the treatment of mental ill health and in particular of psychiatric medication.

Based in Toronto, the Mad Students Society (MSS) is a group organised for and run by students who have experienced the psychiatric system (known as psychiatric survivors and/or consumers). MSS was created to provide peer support, advocacy and self-empowerment for students experiencing mental health issues in post-secondary institutions and other centres of education such as adult education, and privately funded education institutions. Mad Students Society works to create a community to empower, support and mobilize students who are currently or may in the future experience the psychiatric system. As a group members support each other, share similar experiences, learn about their history as a community, build from each other's strengths, identify barriers in the education system and address systemic discrimination. This is an interesting model which, to my knowledge, has no precise counterpart within a UK context. It provides a model for thinking about how peer support for students experiencing mental distress might be facilitated. The link provided here is to the website for the group, which provides some information and contact details.

This Handbook is designed to provide basic knowledge and awareness of the facts and issues behind self-harm in children and young people, with advice about ways staff in children's services can respond. May be used by learners on their own, and hence supplement classroom based activity.

The COPMI national initiative in Australia has developed an on-line workforce education resource in association with parents with mental health problems and their carers (including young people), called ‘Keeping Families and Children In Mind'. The involvement of consumers of mental health services and their carers was pivotal to the success and ‘user friendliness' of the resource and it contains a large number of video and audio clips of parents and carers. Although not a UK resource, may be of use in teaching.

The purpose of this training resource, produced by Young Minds, is to help schools think about why some children may be more vulnerable than others in facing transition, and to support schools in developing ways of working that will allow all children to find a sense of belonging and engagement in school. The Targeted Mental Health in Schools (TaMHS) project and others locally are already supporting schools and this resource is intended to add to and complement that work. Will also be of use in raising awareness of transition issues amongst other practitioners.

In this film, Sarah Carr, mental health and social care researcher discusses the experiences and challenges faced by lesbian, gay and bisexual people when accessing mental health services. This links to the podcast, but also a full transcript of Sarah's presentation.

Published by the National CAHMS Support Service, this document brings together guidance, best practice examples, case studies, resources and literature to help tackle the stigma associated with children's and young people's mental health.

The Realising Recovery learning materials were developed jointly by the Scottish Recovery Network and NHS Education for Scotland. They are designed to support all mental health workers to develop their recovery focused practice. The following modules are included: • Module 1, Understanding Recovery • Module 2, Using Self to Develop Recovery Focused Practice • Module 3, Enabling Self-direction • Module 4, Providing Person-centred Support • Module 5, Sharing Responsibility for Risk and Risk-taking • Module 6, Connecting with Communities The materials have been designed so they can be studied in a way that involves elements of self directed study and reflection. However, it is recomended that opportunities for group discussions should be made available to help learners put individual experiences into a broader context and enhance learning.

This module is part of the Health Talk Online collection of resources. It focuses on people’s experiences of psychosis. Many of the people interviewed had, at some point in their lives, received a diagnosis of schizophrenia. However there were a number of people who had never received this diagnosis but who had experienced psychosis i.e. hearing or seeing things or holding unusual beliefs which other people don’t see or share. This is a collection of online interviews which is searchable in a whole range of ways (ie by age group and by theme).

This is a paper included in the proceedings of the Living and Learning, Learning and Teaching: mental health in higher education conference held at Lancaster University in 2010. Influential social and recovery models form key mandates for mental health education today. These models advocate a shift from traditional notions and approaches linked to mental illness, to service users’ active empowerment and control over their lives and symptoms. This short paper questions, however, how far the emphasis of these models on autonomy takes account of service user experiences. May be of use in informing thinking when planning the content and emphasis of teaching about mental health.

This section of the Mental Health in Higher Education project website draws together publications and resources related to the role of social work in the area of mental health. This page was initially developed to support a learning and development event for mental health social workers in Lancashire in the spring of 2009. It may be of use in informing module planning, or act as a resource that students can access directly.

This page was created to support the integration into curricula of knowledge and skills relating to infant and perinatal mental wellbeing and ill-health. It was created following an mhhe workshop on learning and teaching about perinatal mental health at Staffordshire University in January 2009 - Learning and teaching about perinatal mental health: Don't let women fall through the net. You will find here: General Resources, Publications and Reports, Curriculum Frameworks and Training Materials and Details of Modules and Programmes.

This chapter analyses the current challenging context for educators in the area of mental health and, drawing on the work of the Mental Health in Higher Education project (mhhe), explores how learning and teaching about mental health can be enhanced through increased networking and the sharing of perspectives and ideas. Reference: Anderson, J. & Burgess, H. (2007) Educators Learning Together: linking communities of practice, ch 10 in Stickley, T. & Basset, T. (eds) Teaching and Learning about Mental Health, Chichester: Wiley

University life can be exciting for students, but can also engender frustration and isolation. Students with mental health problems may find it difficult to ask for help - appropriate services may be lacking and/or they may fear the stigma that can result from disclosure. For students on professional programmes, the need to prove oneself as ‘fit for practice' can be the source of additional stress. The development of appropriate values and attitudes requires a focus on the self. This can be an emotional journey, especially for students who are also users of services. This section of the mhhe site provides links to guidelines and publications; some examples of institutional policies; guidance on developing an inclusive curriculum, and on fitness to practice issues; event reports and links. It also contains a link to an annotated reading list.

The Guide contains a general introduction to the topic and, drawing on a range of current initiatives, pointers towards good practice in relation to each of the components of effective involvement. A range of evaluation tools are offered which may be useful in charting progress and identifying the next steps to be taken.

An increasing number of Higher Education Institutions now employ people whose remit is to recruit, train and support service users and carers to contribute to professional programmes. In turn, service user and carer involvement development worker posts need to be well constructed and supported. That is the focus of these guidelines, which it is hoped will be of use both to universities considering or planning such posts and to those with a worker already in post.

The purpose of the seminar, held in York on 8/9 April 2002, was to initiate a debate about how learning and teaching in mental health in higher education might be enhanced. The objectives were: to develop a shared understanding of different approaches to learning and teaching, to identify strengths, development needs and other drivers for change, to explore ways of improving teaching and learning within and across different disciplines, to test assumptions and explore perhaps unforeseen problems and consequences, and to consider how to take the work forward and the role the LTSN might play in this. Five or six participants were invited by each of the four LTSNs (Health Sciences and Practice; Medicine, Dentistry and Veterinary Medicine; Psychology; and Social Policy and Social Work -SWAP), all of whom had a special interest in mental health issues in learning and teaching.

Links between physical and mental health are often underplayed in teaching (as in service delivery). This checklist is aimed at educators who wish to think about how physical mental health might feature in learning and teaching about mental health. It arose from a conference held in 2008. See here for further details: www.mhhe.heacademy.ac.uk/letsgetphysical

This group is open to everyone with an interest in sharing approaches to learning and teaching about mental health, across all disciplines in higher education. It complements the work of the Mental Health in Higher Education project www.mhhe.heacademy.ac.uk

Mental Health in Higher Education aims to increase networking and the sharing of approaches to learning and teaching about mental health, across the disciplines in UK higher education. It produces a bimonthly ebulletin, organises workshops and events, maintains a national database of mental health educators and provides an information and enquiry service.

This module is offered as part of the Open University's OpenLearn initiative. 'Take a new and different look at mental health. This unit invites you to think differently about life's dilemmas by taking account of the views of all concerned, especially people experiencing mental distress. It explores ideas and practice in mental health, and will appeal to a wide range of people'. It may be of use in informing module planning, or alternatively can be directly accessed by students as a supplementary online learning opportunity.

This module is offered as part of the Open University's OpenLearn initiative. 'What do we mean by ‘wellbeing’ for young people? How is it shaped by social differences and inequalities, and how can we improve young people's mental and physical health? This unit will examine the range of factors affecting young people’s wellbeing, such as obesity, binge drinking, depression and behavioural problems'. It may be of use in informing module planning, or alternatively can be directly accessed by students as a supplementary online learning opportunity.

This bibliography has been prepared by Gail Hornstein - a professor of psychology at Mount Holyoke College in the USA. She describes it as being in four sections: '(1) personal accounts of madness written by survivors themselves; (2) narratives written by family members; (3) anthologies and critical analyses of the madness narrative genre; and (4) websites featuring oral histories and other first-person madness accounts'. It may be of value in encouraging learners to access first person accounts of mental ill health - alongside other resources such as the madness and literature network (which also provides summaries).

This site provides titles and summaries of literature on the topic of mental health. Entries are submitted by members of the network. May be of use in preparing reading lists and encouraging learners to access first person accounts and other reading which falls outside academic literature on the subject.

This resource provides links to some databases of films for use in teaching and a brief bibliography on the use of cinema in teaching mental health. May be of use to those wishing to locate films for use in teaching or consider some of the challenges of using this medium well.

This learning module - created by the Science Museum - aims to take the user through various aspects of psychiatry and the study of 'mental illness'. It looks at the treatment, diagnosis and methods used in psychiatry as well as the investigation of mental illness from a historical and socio-cultural perspective. This is done by relating the subject matter to examples found in people's day-to-day lives. Important concepts of psychology are investigated and the user is given the opportunity to test their knowledge through various activities. Some of the concepts investigated include definitions of what is normal and abnormal, concepts of the mind, the concept of mental illness in other cultures, Chemotherapy, electro-convulsive therapy and Psychosurgery. May be of use in supplementing classroom based learning.

Talking our language tells the story of two conversations about mental health. It explains how a mental health organisation - Touchstone - started these conversations with two linguistically distinct communities in Leeds: Urdu speakers and Cantonese speakers. Both communities came with rich cultural understandings of mental health, but many of the concepts and ideas which dominate both ‘medical’ and ‘social’ models of mental health had no clear analogue in either of these languages. This is the story of the conversations which took place and includes training materials.

Three films produced by Framework - a housing charity based in Nottingham: 1) A Day in the Mind... a short film that depicts what a typical day is like for someone with mental health difficulties. 2) What a Difference a Day Makes... Recovery doesn't happen in a day, but a day can make a difference. This the second film made by Framework about the realities of experiencing mental health difficulties. 3) A Human Experience Made by Rethink, the film interviews three people who have used mental health services. They discuss the impact that their own personal experiences of stigma have had on their family, their friends and themselves. Other areas touched upon include changing attitudes towards mental health and the role of the media in generating and re-enforcing the public perception of mental health. Useful as triggers for discussion about stigma and mental health. Accompanied by the Changing Your Mind training pack: http://www.frameworkha.org/pages/changing_your_mind.html

Nisha Dogra describes the development of a postqualifing programme in child mental health - run for and by mental health professionals. The programme seeks not only to underpin students' existing practical experience with evidence-based expertise but also to develop an appreciation of the strengths and limitations of research evidence and, at Masters stage, its application.

Dave Harper is a lecturer in clinical psychology. He contributes to teaching on two undergraduate psychology modules. This case study describes in some detail two sessions: the first on "the psychology of delusions" and the second on "difference and discrimination in mental health". Dave explains how he uses both inputs to encourage students to think about psychological and other alternative approaches to mental health.

Anne Cooke describes the development of a teaching block in the second year of the Salomons Doctorate in Clinical Psychology. External contributors help students to reflect on the place of psychology in society, and their own future identity as clinical psychologists and "mental health professionals". The exposure to "original thinkers" helps to generate in students a desire for active debate and engagement with material presented on the course, and develops debating skills. There is a need for more opportunities for students to engage with clinical psychologists involved in putting these ideas into action on practice placements.

There is demand for relevant teaching on mental health from undergraduate psychology students considering a career in clinical psychology. John Cromby describes how he devised a third year undergraduate optional module called "Mental Illness" from an existing module "Clinical and Counselling Psychology". The module is available to all undergraduates in the Department of Human Sciences. In addition to furthering knowledge of theories, models, debates and interventions in the field of mental health, contrasting critical perspectives with more orthodox views, a learning objective of the module is to develop students` ability for self-directed learning. Some innovative approaches to assessment are described.

Steven Walker writes about a new programme in child and adolescent mental health, designed for the needs of an interdisciplinary student intake from a wide variety of professional and other backgrounds and from voluntary and statutory sector settings. It will provide staff with the resources and skills to address the increasing levels of emotional and behavioural problems experienced by children and young people. Commencing in January 2004, the programme will recruit 35 students per year studying a foundation module, BSc, post-graduate diploma or MSc. Core modules in Child Development, Assessment, Collaborative Working and Therapeutic Interventions form the basis of the programme.

What constitutes good practice in the teaching of child psychiatry to undergraduate medical students? Nisha Dogra and colleagues at the University of Leicester undertook a critical reiew of the literature, revising their teaching in the light of that. Nisha describes how change was achieved in three stages, informed by student feedback about their learning. The case study raises issues about how students can be more actively engaged in the learning process, and how clinical teaching and university-based elements of a programme can combine.

Di Bailey describes the origins and development of the interdisciplinary RECOVER programme, highlighting its strengths and explicit value base. A detailed evaluation of the programme has been completed by Di Barnes and colleagues at Durham University. Lessons learned from this are underlined and a description given of how the programme has evolved. Information is given about recruitment onto this innovative programme, and the relationships developed with Trusts described. Pointers to further reading are provided.

Mark Hayward and colleagues describe how postgraduate clinical psychology trainees and undergraduate dietetics students came together to experience a shared learning exercise based on a Problem Based Learning (PBL) task. The task enabled students to explore issues of physical and mental health and the relationship between them. Attitudes of students and facilitators were evaluated, both pre- and post-exercise, and implications for future practice drawn out.

Funding was acquired, through the Fund for the Development of Teaching and Learning, to develop a shared learning module for final year nursing and social work students. The module was designed to run twice in a two year period. It was hoped, within the confines of this modest project, to contribute to the development of the evidence base for interprofessional learning. The module organisers draw here on their experience of facilitating interprofessional learning at pre-registration level, reflecting on what worked well and identifying some of the stumbling blocks and barriers. This case study is accompanied by reflective accounts by two of the students involved.

Mervat Nasser is an Honorary Senior lecturer/ Consultant Psychiatrist in the Eating Disorders Research Unit at the Institute of Psychiatry. She practises general adult psychiatry with a special interest in psychiatric/ psychological issues related to migration adjustment, cross-cultural co-ordination and relocation as well as issues related to women's mental health. Her research and publications focus on culture and mental health issues with particular reference to eating disorders. Here she describes the module she teaches on women and mental health as part of the interdisciplinary MSc in Mental Health Studies at the Institute of Psychiatry. The female body is the main axis around which the ideas for the course have evolved. The structure of the course is outlined here and an account given by a Laura Epstein, a GP, of her impressions of the course.

This project was devised by Albert Odro and colleagues at Middlesex University. It consists of a series of Personal and Professional Development sessions, run over two years and co-facilitated by university and practice-based staff.

'Psychosis Revisited' is a two day workshop, based upon the British Psychological Society (BPS) report (2000): 'Recent advances in understanding mental illness and psychotic experiences'. It encourages mental health workers to take a fresh look at psychosis and psychotic experiences. Mark Hayward (academic tutor at the University of Surrey/ Clinical Psychologist) describes how he and an Occupational therapist, in conjunction with user trainers from the CAPITAL project, delivered this workshop to a Community Mental Health/Assertive Outreach team. This case study focuses in particular on one session entitled "service user perspectives". It outlines in detail how the session was planned and delivered, offering useful insights into how a safe learning environment was created, and reflects on learning gained. Discussions are ongoing that may lead to the embedding of 'Psychosis Revisited' within prequalifying training within a range of disciplines.

Tina Coldham and Steve Tee describe a piece of action research, involving pre-registration nursing students and service users in a process known as "co-operative inquiry". This model is introduced, together with some reflection on how it was used on a pre-registration nursing programme at the University of Southampton. Includes reflection on the efficacy of this approach in facilitating the meaningful involvement of service users in learning and teaching about mental health.

Describes how final year nursing and medical students were introduced to the skills involved in making a joint assessment. Pairs of students initially observed assessments carried out by one another's supervisors. They then completed a joint assessment and together drew up a formulation addressing the needs of the patient. They presented this to a regular community mental health team meeting.

A lecturer in psychology describes the development of a module on the psychology of mental health. Her aim is not only to provide students with 'information' about mental health problems; but to offer them a new way of thinking through the issues, using critical academic and clinical/practical insights. Sessions dealing with women and mental health and hearing voices are described in some detail. A video about the hearing voices network (including an exercise to use with students) and a recent book by Richard Bentall are identified as potentially useful teaching resources.

Nic Bowler and colleagues used World Mental Health Day 2003 as a trigger for a project with second year mental health branch nursing students. Students planned and delivered presentations in a range of community venues. Their brief was to maximise contact with the public, dispelling myths, dismantling stereotypes and promoting awareness and understanding of mental health problems amongst young people. The presentations fitted within a UK-wide range of activities for WMHD aimed at promoting tolerance and understanding of mental health issues. .