Indian Journal of Psychiatric Social Work

Psychiatric Social Work: Principles to Practice

Kamlesh Kumar Sahu — 2024-12-13

Psychiatric Social Work practice and teaching in India has spanned over eight decades, yet there are still very few dedicated titles or volumes on the subject. There is a strong need for a comprehensive volume on Psychiatric Social Work to support both training and practice. "Psychiatric Social Work: Principles to Practice," written by Chittaranjan Subudhi, is a commendable effort to fill this gap. In this regard, it explores the historical, contemporary, and future perspectives of psychiatric social work in India. It is particularly relevant for students, educators, and practitioners within the field, offering insights into the evolution and practice of psychiatric social work in the Indian context.

Family functioning in persons with schizophrenia: Cross sectional study across the genders

Santos Behera — 2024-09-21

Background: Schizophrenia is a significant and disabling condition that puts a financial and emotional burden on the supporting family members. The aim of the study was to explore the family functioning among the persons diagnosed with schizophrenia and differences across genders. Materials and Methods: The study was a cross-sectional, hospital-based observational research conducted at the tertiary care institution. A purposive sampling technique was used to select participants, resulting in a sample size of 65, calculated using G*Power software. Inclusion criteria included individuals diagnosed with schizophrenia according to ICD-10, with a duration of illness over two years and an age range of 21 to 60 years. Family caregivers with co-morbid psychiatric or organic illnesses, substance abuse history, or those caring for more than one patient were excluded. Data was collected using a Socio-Demographic Data Sheet and the Family Assessment Device (FAD), a standardized measure assessing seven subscales of family functioning. SPSS version 20 was used for statistical analysis, including tests of normality and descriptive statistics such as frequency, percentage, mean, and standard deviation. Results: The family assessment data using the McMaster Family Assessment Device (FAD) shows significant dysfunction across multiple domains among individuals with schizophrenia, with notable gender differences. Conclusion: These findings highlight the need for tailored interventions that address specific challenges faced by males and females to improve family functioning and support recovery.

A qualitative study on living a meaningful life with chronic mental health conditions

Sushma Kumari — 2024-09-21

Background: Mental health conditions are generally seen as involving lifelong adversities with high vulnerability to social marginalization, health hazards, and economic deprivation. In spite of these adversities, many individuals struggling with mental health conditions are leading outstanding lives of courage and dignity. They contribute equally to society, just as other members who do not have mental health conditions. Existing scientific research has largely focused on the negative outcomes associated with mental health conditions, often overlooking those who are living meaningful lives. Considering this, the present study aimed to shed light on the lived experiences of personal recovery among individuals with chronic mental health conditions that enabled them to lead meaningful lives. Methodology: The present study employed an exploratory qualitative research design. Individuals with mental illness who were stable on treatment and capable of recognizing their functional, occupational, and social abilities for leading meaningful lives were included. All participants were assessed in detail through in-depth interviews about their lives and personal journeys after obtaining their consent. Results: The main themes that emerged from the study were related to personal aspirations for a better future, recovery needs, retention of gainful employment, and being acknowledged as a respected person rather than merely a patient. Conclusion: This study could help change the prevailing attitudes among the general public regarding individuals with mental illness by demonstrating how they can challenge the deficits associated with mental illness and excel in the specific areas they engage in.

Experiences of urban slum dwelling women with maternal and child health services: A study of urban slums of Guwahati city

Pomi Kalita — 2024-12-05

Background: Health is always an important aspect of human life and to achieve success in all spheres of life a person must stay healthy. Maternal health problems can be minimized only through more access to health care services among pregnant women. Maternal mortality is especially prevalent in urban areas due to rapid urbanization and the growing population in slum regions. Women and children face greater challenges, especially when it comes to maternal health. Objectives: The study aims to give an in-depth analysis of current maternal health status. Additionally, to explore the maternal health care awareness and practices of women residing in two slum areas of Guwahati City, Assam, Hafeez Nagar and Gandhi Basti. Method and Materials: This descriptive study examined maternal health challenges and service delivery in two slum areas of Guwahati, Assam: Hafeez Nagar and Gandhi Basti. The study involved in-depth interviews with 30 pregnant women aged 21–40, alongside 10 health professionals and frontline workers aged 25–45 who had served in these areas for at least one year. The interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed, and analysed thematically to capture women’s experiences and perceptions. Result: Anaemia is a common problem among women and poverty is a major cause of deaths of many women living in urban slums. The lack of awareness is a crucial reason for the high rate of maternal and child mortality in slum areas. Conclusion: There is still a gap in the healthcare system, particularly in maternal healthcare. This is primarily due to a lack of information in the community, which must be addressed. It also proposes improving maternal health awareness among mothers regarding government programs to improve maternal health status.
Keywords: Development, health, maternal mortality, slum, women

The The impact of interventions on teachers' professional competence and students' academic performance in Ethiopia

Abdulmejid Mohammed Ahmed — 2024-12-09

Background: Teachers' professional competence is a critical factor with a proven effect on student academic performance and, consequently, educational quality. Objective: This study investigates the impact of an intervention on teachers' professional competence and its subsequent effect on students' academic performance in Ethiopia. Material and Methods: Adopting a positivist worldview, a quantitative research approach, and a quasi-experimental design, data were collected using standardized scale tests from 60 teachers and 2400 students. Intervention: The experimental group of teachers received a half-day intervention training for 208 hours over two months, focusing on Grade 1-6 English subject standards due to the low achievement levels in these grades. Results: The findings revealed a significant correlation between teachers' professional competence, as measured by licensure tests, and teachers' professional competence and students' academic performance (r = .89, P < .001). Conclusion: Continuous learning and training opportunities equip teachers with updated knowledge, skills, and instructional strategies. Aligning teacher education curricula with competency standards and assigning teachers based on their qualifications is crucial for enhancing educational outcomes.
Keywords: Teacher, licensure, academic performance, teacher professional competence

Revitalizing the IJPSW: Strengthening collaboration and ensuring sustainability

Kamlesh Kumar Sahu — 2024-09-21

Dear Esteemed Readers,

I hope this message finds you well. I have been planning to connect with you for some time now. Unfortunately, various circumstances have hindered this effort until now. However, it has become increasingly apparent to me that I must discuss and determine the future course of action for our journal.

As you are aware, rather than beginning a new journal, I chose to revive the Indian Journal of Psychiatric Social Work (IJPSW) in 2017. Since then, we have successfully published 16 issues across eight volumes, spanning from 2017 to the present year of 2024. To date, we have proudly released 150 new articles and have collected and digitized approximately 50 older articles, either partially or in full, which have subsequently been published. These accomplishments are a testament to our shared commitment to advancing the field of Psychiatric Social Work (PSW). We extend our heartfelt gratitude to each author for trusting us and sharing their valuable work. Likewise, we deeply appreciate and thank all the editorial board members and reviewers for their time, support, and dedication.

The IJPSW was established with a clear vision: to create a platform of PSWs, for PSWs, and by PSWs. This vision aimed to address the prevailing gaps within the PSW fraternity, offering a dedicated space for PSW professionals to share their research, insights, and experiences. However, it has become evident that the initial vision has not fully materialized as we had envisioned. The dynamic nature of the PSW field, coupled with emerging challenges and opportunities, necessitates a re-evaluation and refocus of our efforts to ensure the journal's vibrancy and relevance.

To this end, we have decided to open the journal's editorial board to professionals from other allied disciplines. Currently, we are fortunate to have a good number of faculty and professionals from various esteemed institutions and disciplines, including Social Work, Clinical Psychology, Psychiatry, and Behavioural Sciences, both from India and abroad. This growing diversity is a strength, and we believe it will provide new directions and dimensions to the journal. By inviting contributions from these allied fields, we aim to foster interdisciplinary collaboration, broaden the scope of our journal, and enrich the content we offer to our readers.

However, we must acknowledge the challenges we have faced. A significant setback occurred when our website experienced a crash during the process of updating the Open Journal Systems (OJS) software to a newer version. This unfortunate incident resulted in the loss of both article and user data, leaving the website without papers for an extended period. Despite these challenges, I am pleased to inform you that, after considerable effort, all the papers have been successfully uploaded and are now visible on the journal website. However, during this process, some mismatches with DOI and URL links occurred, rendering them inactive. We are diligently working to correct these discrepancies, and we anticipate that they will be rectified shortly.

As we move forward, there are three key elements we must prioritize to ensure the sustainability and success of the IJPSW:

Regular Submission of Quality Articles: We must continue to encourage the submission of high-quality articles. The journal's reputation and relevance depend on the calibre of the research and content we publish. We urge all our contributors and readers to actively participate in this process, whether through submitting their work or encouraging peers to contribute.

Active Participation in Review and Editorial Work: The success of our journal is also contingent on the active involvement of our editorial board members and reviewers. We need a robust team of dedicated professionals who can provide timely and constructive feedback to authors, ensuring the quality and integrity of the published work. So, we kindly request you to join our review board your involvement will help us in moving forward.

Subscriptions and Support: The financial stability of our journal is crucial to its continuity and growth. We rely on subscriptions, both individual and institutional, to cover our operational costs, which include essential services such as getting Digital Object Identifiers (DOIs) for each published paper maintaining our domain and website. These are critical for handling editorial processing, peer-review management, digital publication, and indexing. Additionally, while much of the desktop publishing (DTP) work is voluntarily handled by the Editor-in-Chief, printing costs still pose a significant expense.

We sincerely acknowledge the support of the few institutional subscribers who have already partnered with us, and we express our gratitude for their commitment. Their contributions ensure that we can continue delivering high-quality content. However, to further enhance the journal’s sustainability, we encourage all of our readers and supporters to consider subscribing, either individually or through their affiliated institutions. We also urge them to actively promote the journal within their networks, as doing so will not only expand its reach but also strengthen its financial foundation. This collective effort is key to ensuring the journal remains a valuable resource for scholars, researchers, and practitioners. We sincerely extend our gratitude to our current subscribing institutions for their invaluable support. Their contributions play a vital role in maintaining the quality and accessibility of our content. However, to further enhance the reach and impact of the journal, we encourage all of our readers, researchers, and academic supporters to consider subscribing either individually or through their institutions. Additionally, we urge them to promote the journal within their networks, highlighting its relevance and importance in advancing knowledge within the field. Together, through this collective effort, we can ensure that the journal continues to thrive as a resource for scholars and practitioners alike.

The Indian Journal of Psychiatric Social Work (IJPSW) is an Open Access journal, adhering to the principles outlined by the Budapest Open Access Initiative (BOAI).^[1] This means that users have unrestricted rights to "read, download, copy, distribute, print, search, or link to the full texts of these articles" without any barriers. IJPSW follows a 'Platinum' open access model, meaning there are no Article Processing Charges (APC) or publication fees for authors. Articles are made immediately accessible on the journal's website upon publication.

Furthermore, IJPSW allows authors to retain the full copyright of their work without any restrictions. We publish under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.^[2] This license grants others the right to:

Share: Copy and redistribute the material in any medium or format.

Attribution: Give appropriate credit, provide a link to the license, and indicate if any changes were made. Attribution must be done in a way that doesn’t imply endorsement by the licensor.

Non-Commercial: The material cannot be used for commercial purposes.

No Derivatives: If the material is remixed, transformed, or built upon, the modified content cannot be distributed.

No additional restrictions or legal measures that limit the rights granted under this license may be applied.

In conclusion, the IJPSW remains a vital platform for the PSW community. However, to realize its full potential, we must adapt and evolve. With your continued support and active participation, I am confident that we can overcome the challenges we face and continue to contribute meaningfully to the field of Psychiatric Social Work.

Thank you for your attention and cooperation.

Palliative care for chronic neurological disorders: A case series and literature review

Sinu Ezhumalai — 2024-12-09

Background: There has been increased interest in palliative care for Individuals with chronic neurological disorders, yet there are no specific case reports or illustrations on detailed palliative care practices. Palliative care services for neurological disorders in India are limited. Aim: To illustrate the generalist palliative care practice for persons with chronic neurological disorders in a tertiary care hospital. Materials and Methods: A case study design was used to demonstrate generalist palliative care in neurological disorders using five case studies. CARE guidelines used for reporting case studies. Results: Degenerative neurological conditions such as dementia, motor neuron diseases, Parkinson's disease, multiple sclerosis, Duchenne muscular dystrophy and other conditions such as progressive supranuclear palsy, sub-acute sclerosing pan encephalitis, mitochondrial disease, multiple system atrophy, stroke with poor prognosis need immense palliative care. Early identification of palliative care needs from the beginning of diagnosis, and the barriers in facilitating palliative care in tertiary care settings were discussed. The psychiatric social workers provided generalist palliative care such as communicating prognosis, addressing caregiver burden, end-of-life care issues, advance care planning, and appropriate referral to hospice care and other palliative care services. Conclusion: Palliative care for chronic neurological disorders is in its infant stage in India. There is limited awareness about the need for palliative care for chronic neurological disorders among social work trainees, neurology trainees, and other health care providers. Hence, there is a strong need to increase awareness and access to palliative care for persons with life limiting or life threatening chronic neurological disorders. It is feasible to provide generalist palliative care for chronic neurological disorders in a tertiary care setting.
Keywords: Palliative care, neurological disorders, psychiatric social work interventions, end-of-life care

Impact of Psychosocial Interventions in Schizophrenia: A Case Study

Poulami Mukherjee — 2024-12-13

Background: Substance use can trigger psychosis, leading to substance-induced psychotic disorders. In some cases, this progresses to chronic conditions such as schizophrenia or Bipolar Affective Disorder. Substance use disorder (SUD) imposes significant social and personal burdens on individuals and their families. Aim: To highlight the role of psychosocial interventions in the assessment and management of schizophrenia, which developed over years of substance use. Methods: An intervention-based case study was done at the inpatient department of the Central Institute of Psychiatry (CIP), Ranchi, during August-September 2023. Data were collected from the Case Record File (CRF), socio-demographic variables, and standardized assessment tools. Psychosocial management along with pharmacotherapy were administered to the patient. Outcomes: Qualitative outcomes of the psychosocial intervention indicated improvement in serial Mental Status Examinations (MSE). Quantitative measures, including the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) and the Readiness to Change Questionnaire (RCQ), reflected this improvement. McMaster Family Assessment Device showed significant enhancement in the family’s knowledge about the illness, communication patterns, affective responsiveness, affective involvement, and general family functioning. Conclusion: The study demonstrates that psychosocial interventions, alongside pharmacotherapy, can substantially enhance clinical and family outcomes for individuals with schizophrenia stemming from substance-induced psychosis.
Keywords: Substance, psychosis, schizophrenia, psychosocial