Abstract/Details

The measurement and management of stress related difficulties in primary care

Kupshik, Gary Allan.   University of Hertfordshire (United Kingdom) ProQuest Dissertations & Theses,  1998. U107432.

Abstract (summary)

A major assumption that lies behind public policy towards mental health provision is that individuals with psychological problems will seek help. Moreover, the assumption that follows from this is that their needs will be assessed and appropriate resources will be made available. Often this does not occur. The reasons that people who seek help fail to find appropriate treatment relate to the culture of service provision, the identification of distress, and the accessibility of therapy.

This thesis aims to investigate an approach which targets the above issues by focusing on the utility of assisted self-help for mild anxiety and depression in a primary care setting. The approach differs from both current clinical practice and traditional self-help in two distinct ways:

1. The provision of information and coping skills is blended into the assessment process. An assessment tool, the Buffers, Pressures and Symptom Profile (BPSP), was designed and validated specifically for this approach (Chapters 2 and 3).

2. The bibliotherapy process was designed specifically for people with mild anxiety and depression.

There was good evidence of the utility of Assisted Bibliotherapy at a number of levels. The efficacy of the approach was enhanced through the support of the project worker. In an anxiety study, reported in Chapter 8, symptom reduction was strongly related to active participation in the programme. In a low mood study, reported in Chapter 9, this association was less clear. This discrepancy was addressed both in terms of the adequacy of the rating materials and the natural course of low mood. As well as significantly reducing levels of distress, changes were also evident in areas that were not directly targeted by the approach. There were significant concomitant changes in the perception of stress related issues that were not the primary focus of the Assisted Bibliotherapy materials.

The data from cases that were unable to benefit from the approach were examined together with 'improvers', in order to consider whether pre-treatment variables could predict a clients potential to benefit from varying levels of assisted self-help. This would allow for more objective guidance toward the appropriate 'dose' and level of therapy.

The Assisted Bibliotherapy approach promoted cognitive and behavioural mastery of symptoms through a repertoire of adaptive responses in a good proportion of cases.

Indexing (details)


Subject
Public policy
Classification
0630: Public policy
Identifier / keyword
(UMI)AAIU107432; Social sciences
Title
The measurement and management of stress related difficulties in primary care
Author
Kupshik, Gary Allan
Number of pages
1
Degree date
1998
School code
8347
Source
DAI-C 70/22, Dissertation Abstracts International
University/institution
University of Hertfordshire (United Kingdom)
University location
England
Degree
Ph.D.
Source type
Dissertation or Thesis
Language
English
Document type
Dissertation/Thesis
Note
Bibliographic data provided by EThOS, the British Library’s UK thesis service: https://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.268071
Dissertation/thesis number
U107432
ProQuest document ID
301513963
Copyright
Database copyright ProQuest LLC; ProQuest does not claim copyright in the individual underlying works.
Document URL
https://www.proquest.com/docview/301513963/abstract