Table Of ContentMental Health and Social Problems
Mental Health and Social Problems is a textbook for social work students and practitioners. It
explores the complicated relationship between mental conditions and societal issues as well as
examining risk and protective factors for the prevalence, course, adaptation to and recovery
from mental illness.
The introductory chapter presents biopsychosocial and life-modeled approaches to helping
individuals and families with mental illness. The book is divided into two parts. Part I addresses
specific social problems, such as poverty, oppression, racism, war, violence, and homelessness,
identifying the factors which contribute to vulnerabilities and risks for the development of
mental health problems, including the barriers to accessing quality services. Part II presents the
most current empirical findings and practice knowledge about prevalence, diagnosis, assess-
ment, and intervention options for a range of common mental health problems – including
personality conditions, eating conditions and affective conditions.
Focusing throughout upon mental health issues for children, adolescents, adults and older
adults, each chapter includes case studies and web resources. This practical book is ideal for
social work students who specialize in mental health.
Nina Rovinelli Hellerteaches in the masters and doctoral programs, and is the Chair of the
Mental Health Substantive Area at the University of Connecticut, USA. She has provided
mental health services to individuals and families for thirty years in a range of practice settings.
She is the co-editor of Integrating Psychodynamic Theory with Cognitive Behavioral Techniques and has
published in the area of social work theory and clinical practice.
Alex Gittermanis Zachs Professor of Social Work and Director of the Doctoral Program at
the University of Connecticut School of Social Work. He has co-authored and co-edited a large
number of books including The Life Model of Social Work Practice, Encyclopedia of Social Work with
Groupsand The Handbook of Social Work Practice with Vulnerable and Resilient Populations.He served as
the President and on the board of the Association for the Advancement of Social Work with
Groups, an international professional organization.
Mental Health
and Social Problems
A social work perspective
Edited by Nina Rovinelli Heller
and Alex Gitterman
First published 2011
by Routledge
2Park Square, Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon, OX144RN
Simultaneously published in the USA and Canada
by Routledge
270 Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10016
Routledge is an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group, an informa business
This edition published in the Taylor & Francis e-Library, 2011.
To purchase your own copy of this or any of Taylor & Francis or Routledge’s
collection of thousands of eBooks please go to www.eBookstore.tandf.co.uk.
© 2011 Nina Rovinelli Heller and Alex Gitterman. Individual chapters,
the contributors.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted or reproduced or utilized
in any form or by any electronic, mechanical, or other means, now known or
hereafter invented, including photocopying and recording, or in any information
storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publishers.
British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data
Acatalogue record for this book is available from the British Library
Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data
Mental health and social problems : a social work perspective / edited by
Nina Rovinelli Heller and Alex Gitterman.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references.
1. Psychiatric social work. 2. Mental illness–Etiology. 3. Social problems.
I. Heller, Nina Rovinelli. II. Gitterman, Alex, 1938–
[DNLM: 1. Mental Disorders. 2. Mental Disorders--etiology. 3. Social Problems. 4.
Social Work, Psychiatric. WM 31 M5444 2011]
HV689.M46 2011
362.2'042–dc22
2010017265
ISBN 0-203-84060-7 Master e-book ISBN
ISBN13: 978–0–415–49386–4 (hbk)
ISBN13: 978–0–415–49387–1 (pbk)
ISBN13: 978–0–203–84060–3 (ebk)
We dedicate this book to all people who have lived with mental
health conditions.
We write with their voices in our minds and hearts.
Contents
List of contributors ix
Preface xi
Acknowledgements xvii
1 Introduction to social problems and mental health/illness 1
NINA ROVINELLI HELLER AND ALEX GITTERMAN
PART I
Social problems and mental health/illness 19
2 Oppression and stigma and their effects 21
AMY C. WATSON AND SHAUN M. EACK
3 Poverty and its effects 44
MARK R. RANK
4 Racism and its effects 62
DENNIS MIEHLS
5 War and its effects 86
SCOTT HARDING
6 Homelessness and its effects 110
JUDITH BULA WISE
7 Corrections and its effects 133
RUDOLPH ALEXANDER, JR.
8 Immigration and its effects 156
GREGORY ACEVEDO AND MANNY J. GONZÁLEZ
9 Child maltreatment and its effects 174
CAROLYN KNIGHT
viii Contents
10 Intimate partner violence and its effects 202
BONNIE E. CARLSON
11 Community violence exposure and its effects 225
VANESSA VORHIES, NEIL B. GUTERMAN, AND
MUHAMMAD M. HAJ-YAHIA
PART II
Mental health conditions 257
12 Autism spectrum conditions 259
JOSEPH WALSH AND JACQUELINE CORCORAN
13 Executive function conditions and self-deficits 282
JOSEPH PALOMBO
14 Oppositional defiant and conduct conditions 313
AMANDA N. BARCZYK AND DAVID W. SPRINGER
15 Mood conditions 331
ELLEN SMITH
16 Anxiety conditions 356
NINA ROVINELLI HELLER AND LISA WERKMEISTER ROZAS
17 Eating conditions 381
DANNA BODENHEIMER AND NINA ROVINELLI HELLER
18 Personality conditions 404
TERRY B. NORTHCUT
19 Psychotic conditions 423
ELLEN P. LUKENS AND LYDIA P. OGDEN
20 Substance abuse 450
MEREDITH HANSON
21 Dementia and related problems in cognition and memory 473
SARA SANDERS AND JOELLE K. OSTERHAUS
Index 502
Contributors
Gregory Acevedo, PhD
Associate Professor, Fordham University Graduate School of Social Services
Rudolph Alexander, Jr., PhD
Professor, Ohio State University College of Social Work
Amanda N. Barczyk, MSW
Doctoral candidate, University of Texas School of Social Policy and Practice Work at Austin
Danna Bodenheimer, DSW
Adjunct Faculty, University of Pennsylvania School of Social Policy and Practice
Bonnie E. Carlson, PhD
Professor and Associate Director, West Campus, Arizona State University School of Social
Work
Jacqueline Corcoran, PhD
Professor, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Social Work
Shaun M. Eack, PhD
Assistant Professor, University of Pittsburg School of Social Work
Alex Gitterman, EdD
Zacks Professor of Social Work and Director of the Doctoral Program, University of
Connecticut School of Social Work
Manny J. González, DSW
Associate Professor, Hunter College School of Social Work, The City University of New York
Neil B. Guterman, PhD
Mose and Sylvia Firestone Professor and Dean, University of Chicago School of Social
Administration
Muhammad M. Haj-Yahia, PhD
Gordon Brown Chair in Social Work and Associate Professor, The Hebrew University of
Jerusalem School of Social Work and Social Welfare
Meredith Hanson, DSW
Professor, Fordham University Graduate School of Social Services
Scott Harding, PhD
Associate Professor, University of Connecticut School of Social Work
