Papers by Zlatka Russinova
Oxford Clinical Psychology, 2016
This chapter explores the unique barriers and facilitators to acceptance that men with serious me... more This chapter explores the unique barriers and facilitators to acceptance that men with serious mental illness may experience. The values associated with traditional masculinity are discussed as they pertain to the process of accepting mental illness. Barriers specific to men in our research studies are detailed, including avoidance of help-seeking and self-medication with substance abuse. In addition, the literature on misdiagnosis and underdiagnosis of mental health conditions among men is presented. Facilitators to the process of acceptance for men in the present research are discussed, including accessing supportive relationships and other mental health resources. Several participant case narratives are provided in order to demonstrate the impact of various masculinities on the process of acceptance. A clinical strategies list, discussion questions, activities, the “Men’s Acceptance of Mental Health Worksheet,” and an explanatory table are included at the close of the chapter.
Oxford Clinical Psychology, 2016
In this chapter, findings related to the process of acceptance of mental illness are presented us... more In this chapter, findings related to the process of acceptance of mental illness are presented using excerpts from research interviews with individuals with serious mental illness. Acceptance is located within the sequence of stages of the recovery process. Facets of the acceptance process are reviewed, especially with regards to acceptance of a diagnosis, acceptance of the need for mental health treatment, and acknowledgment and acceptance of associated losses and limitations. The stigma attached to diagnostic labels is also discussed. The close of the chapter includes a clinical strategies list, discussion questions, activities, the “Personal Recovery Processes Worksheet,” and a diagram of the relationship of acceptance to other components of personal recovery.
Work Accommodation and Retention in Mental Health, 2010
... Kim L. MacDonald-Wilson, Zlatka Russinova, E. Sally Rogers, Chia Huei Lin, Terri Ferguson, Sh... more ... Kim L. MacDonald-Wilson, Zlatka Russinova, E. Sally Rogers, Chia Huei Lin, Terri Ferguson, Shengli Dong, and Megan Kash MacDonald ... someone in human resources about his disability, but not his supervisor, or tell his supervisor but no one else (Corrigan 2005; Ellison et al. ...
Psychiatric Rehabilitation Journal, Feb 1, 2007
... Washington, DC: American Psychological Association. ZLATKA RUSSINOvA, PHD, IS SENIOR RESEARCH... more ... Washington, DC: American Psychological Association. ZLATKA RUSSINOvA, PHD, IS SENIOR RESEARCH ASSOCIATE AT THE CENTER FOR PSYCHIATRIC REHAbILITATION, BOSTON UNIvERSITY. ANDREA BLANCH, PHD, IS PRESIDENT OF THE CENTER FOR ...
Psychiatric Rehabilitation Journal, 2007
... Washington, DC: American Psychological Association. ZLATKA RUSSINOvA, PHD, IS SENIOR RESEARCH... more ... Washington, DC: American Psychological Association. ZLATKA RUSSINOvA, PHD, IS SENIOR RESEARCH ASSOCIATE AT THE CENTER FOR PSYCHIATRIC REHAbILITATION, BOSTON UNIvERSITY. ANDREA BLANCH, PHD, IS PRESIDENT OF THE CENTER FOR ...
Psychiatric Rehabilitation Journal, 2012
Peer providers experience unique recovery and growth processes. This study examines the relations... more Peer providers experience unique recovery and growth processes. This study examines the relationship of these processes with multiple occupational characteristics related to peer work. Outcomes are examined using positive psychology concepts: psychological well-being, posttraumatic growth, and generativity, as well as established recovery and empowerment measures. Thirty peer providers employed in a variety of mental-health agencies participated in the study and completed standardized measures of recovery and growth processes. Multiple past and present occupational characteristics were identified and coded based on a semistructured interview and a background questionnaire. Multivariate analyses revealed a significant association between participants' generativity and past participation in peer-support/self-help groups, as well as past work in a helping profession. No associations were found between the characteristics of participants' present peer jobs and the examined recovery and growth processes. The present findings have implications for the expansion of the peer-provider workforce. They suggest that encouraging and enabling peer-support groups and peer-run organizations may have positive impact on the generativity of peer providers, and may draw generative individuals to this emerging occupational modality of mental-health recovery oriented service. Study findings underscore the need for future research on recovery processes from the perspective of positive psychology and highlight the value of peer exposure as a catalyst of recovery and growth.
Http Dx Doi Org 10 1080 19359705 2013 828007, Jul 14, 2014
Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) individuals with mental illness encounter double s... more Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) individuals with mental illness encounter double stigma of mental illness and LGBT identity that can uniquely impact the process of acceptance of mental illness. Acceptance of mental illness is essential to promoting recovery and may be one of the most crucial and difficult steps in this process. Qualitative case narrative methodology was used to identify themes related to the facilitators and barriers in the acceptance process for lesbian, gay, and transgender (LGT) individuals in the present study. Three participant narratives are presented to assist practitioners in applying these findings to clinical practice. Selected case narratives represent participants with LGT identities to illustrate facilitators and barriers in the acceptance process among individuals within this group. Identified themes included identity factors at the micro level, relational factors at the meso level, and systemic factors at the macro level. Notably, identity-related facilitators of acceptance of mental illness included developing preferred terminology and self-defined language. Implications are suggested for psychotherapy and research pertaining to the process of acceptance of mental illness for LGBT individuals with mental illness.
Contemporary clinical trials, Jan 8, 2015
Despite the high risk of tobacco-related morbidity and mortality among low-income persons, few st... more Despite the high risk of tobacco-related morbidity and mortality among low-income persons, few studies have connected low-income smokers to evidence-based treatments. We will examine a smoking cessation intervention integrated into primary care. To begin, we completed qualitative formative research to refine an intervention utilizing the services of a patient navigator trained to promote smoking cessation. Next, we will conduct a randomized controlled trial combining two interventions: patient navigation and financial incentives. The goal of the intervention is to promote smoking cessation among patients who receive primary care in a large urban safety-net hospital. Our intervention will encourage patients to utilize existing smoking cessation resources (e.g., quit lines, smoking cessation groups, discussing smoking cessation with their primary care providers). To test our intervention, we will conduct a randomized controlled trial, randomizing 352 patients to the intervention condi...
Contemporary Clinical Trials, 2015
Despite the high risk of tobacco-related morbidity and mortality among low-income persons, few st... more Despite the high risk of tobacco-related morbidity and mortality among low-income persons, few studies have connected low-income smokers to evidence-based treatments. We will examine a smoking cessation intervention integrated into primary care. To begin, we completed qualitative formative research to refine an intervention utilizing the services of a patient navigator trained to promote smoking cessation. Next, we will conduct a randomized controlled trial combining two interventions: patient navigation and financial incentives. The goal of the intervention is to promote smoking cessation among patients who receive primary care in a large urban safety-net hospital. Our intervention will encourage patients to utilize existing smoking cessation resources (e.g., quit lines, smoking cessation groups, discussing smoking cessation with their primary care providers). To test our intervention, we will conduct a randomized controlled trial, randomizing 352 patients to the intervention condition (patient navigation and financial incentives) or an enhanced traditional care control condition. We will perform follow-up at 6, 12, and 18months following the start of the intervention. Evaluation of the intervention will target several implementation variables: reach (participation rate and representativeness), effectiveness (smoking cessation at 12months [primary outcome]), unintended consequences (e.g., purchase of illicit substances with incentive money), adoption (use of intervention across primary care suites), implementation (delivery of intervention), and maintenance (smoking cessation after conclusion of intervention). Improving the implementation of smoking cessation interventions in primary care settings serving large underserved populations could have substantial public health impact, reducing cancer-related morbidity/mortality and associated health disparities.
Journal of Latina/o Psychology, 2015
Psychiatric rehabilitation journal, Jan 19, 2015
Objective: The primary purpose of this article is to describe the development and feasibility of ... more Objective: The primary purpose of this article is to describe the development and feasibility of the Recovery Narrative Photovoice intervention. The nature of this intervention will be discussed, including facilitating empowerment and a positive sense of identity among people with serious mental illnesses. We will also describe the integration of Photovoice methodology with psychoeducational components, informed by principles of the recovery movement and narrative therapy. Methods: Sixteen participants with serious mental illnesses from a psychosocial rehabilitation and education center in the Northeast participated in a pilot study evaluating this new 10-week intervention with a pre-post test design. To assess feasibility, descriptive statistical analyses were conducted of attendance data and number of works produced. The pilot study was implemented in 2 consecutive waves with 8 participants each. Results: High rates of attendance (69%) and production of photovoice works (82%) were...
Qualitative health research, 2014
People with serious mental illness face stigma that interferes with recovery. Photovoice is a met... more People with serious mental illness face stigma that interferes with recovery. Photovoice is a method that integrates photography and writing, providing a valuable means for capturing the narratives of people with mental illness whose voices are often marginalized. The purpose of the present article is to explore the meaning of recovery for individuals with serious mental illness based on a qualitative analysis of a new photovoice-based intervention, Recovery Narrative Photovoice. This intervention focuses on promoting the process of recovery and sense of identity through the creation of empowering visual images and narratives of recovery for individuals with serious mental illness. In this article, we present iconographic and thematic analysis for the 23 photovoice works from two pilots of the Recovery Narrative Photovoice intervention. Results reveal several themes, including metaphors for mental illness, associated losses, recovery strategies, and recovery outcomes. A final theme ...
Qualitative health research, 2014
The process of acceptance of mental illness is a central component of recovery and has been linke... more The process of acceptance of mental illness is a central component of recovery and has been linked to functioning, illness management, and quality of life. A number of barriers and facilitators have been theorized as impacting this process. This study was conducted with 30 participants with serious mental illness (a major psychiatric disorder with impairment in multiple areas of functioning) to elicit the barriers to and facilitators of the acceptance of mental illness. Grounded theory methodology was utilized to analyze the 30 semistructured interviews. Results revealed barriers to and facilitators of acceptance of mental illness at the micro level (cognitive, emotional, behavioral, identity-related), meso level (relational), and macro level (cultural, systemic). Clinical and research implications are discussed with regard to facilitating acceptance of mental illness.
Journal of psychosocial nursing and mental health services, 2007
This article provides empirical evidence about the patterns of competitive employment among indiv... more This article provides empirical evidence about the patterns of competitive employment among individuals with serious mental illness who are in vocational recovery. The findings are based on a 5-year longitudinal study on sustained employment, conducted with a national sample of 529 individuals with serious mental illness who were in vocational recovery at the time of study enrollment. Data analysis from the 328 participants who completed the study-from baseline through all five annual follow-up assessments-revealed three different postrecovery employment patterns: continuous, stable, and fluctuating. Although many participants demonstrated the capacity to sustain competitive employment during prolonged periods of time, others experienced employment interruptions. Work interruptions were most frequently attributed to exacerbation of psychiatric symptoms. Schizophrenia spectrum disorder, difficulties with daily functioning, and current receipt of disability benefits predicted the psyc...
Abstract. Objective: This study identifies patterns and correlates of disclosure among,profession... more Abstract. Objective: This study identifies patterns and correlates of disclosure among,professionals and managers,with serious psychiatric conditions. Design: A national mail survey of such respondents was conducted. Results: A large proportion (87%) of study participants reported having disclosed their mental illness. About half of the disclosers reported unfavorable circumstances leading to disclosure while one third disclosed when they felt comfortable. Most
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Papers by Zlatka Russinova