Community Based Psychological Intervention for Persons Living with Disabilities

Overview

Mental health problems are increasing in Pakistan and there is a 90% treatment gap in mental health services. Accessibility towards mental health services is limited due to range of factors including low income and resources, lack of the trained staff and lack of specialized and non-specialized mental health facilities. Therefore, there is a dire need to develop indigenous solution of the mental health issues grounded in Islamic teaching. In this regard this study is designed to address the mental health issues at community level. Therefore, this study divided into two phases. In first phase the aim of the study is to adapt World Health Organization recommended psychological intervention for paraprofessionals and to train the paraprofessional on this indigenously adapted intervention. Subsequently, in second phase the study aims to assess the effectiveness of the indigenously adapted Problem Management Plus (IA-PM+) as an evidence based remedy in the treatment of psychological distress of person living with disabilities (PWDs).

Prevalence of disability is higher in Low and middle income countries (LMICs). Persons living with disabilities are more vulnerable to develop psychopathology due to their low level of functioning, their complex and specific needs. Consequently, Persons living with disabilities (PWDs) are expected to experience more adverse psychological ailments as compared to the persons living without disabilities particularly in the rural parts of the countries. Accessibility towards mental health services in Pakistan has been limited due to range of factors including low income and resources, lack of the trained staff and lack of specialized and non-specialized mental health facilities. These challenges are required to be dealt at locally at micro and macro levels systemically and effectively. This requires development and innovation in the existing infrastructure by devising multidisciplinary community based treatment policy in building mental health care services. Therefore, to integrate the mental health care services at primary care level, there is a dire need to develop indigenous psychological interventions in a simplified form so that people can quickly learn their utilization not only from the health professionals but also from the para-professionals as well. Due to the lack of specialized mental health services and human resources in low resource settings, task shifting is a well-known strategy, designed by World Health Organization to bridge the treatment gap in mental health problems. This strategy empowers the health workers, such as nurses and non-specialist to perform specific roles to bridge the available treatment gap. In addition to this, deliverance of evidence based psychological treatment by para-professionals/ non-specialists will not only help in reducing the financial and human resources but also might be able to reduce the stigma associated with mental illness. Realizing the influence of religion on the general population, the American Psychological Association (APA) has recommended to view the religion as a significant aspect of human life and as such psychologists need to get special knowledge and training on religious psychotherapy. In this regard this study is designed to address the mental health issues at community level. Therefore, this study divided into two phases. In first phase the aim of the study is to adapt World Health Organization recommended psychological intervention for paraprofessionals and to train the paraprofessional on this indigenously adapted intervention. Subsequently, in second phase the study aims to assess the effectiveness of the indigenously adapted Problem Management Plus (IA-PM+) as an evidence based remedy in the treatment of psychological distress of person living with disabilities (PWDs).