American journal of community psychology
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Am J Community Psychol · Dec 1990
Comment ReviewCommunity treatment for the seriously mentally ill: is this community psychology?
Reviewed the study by Bond et al. (1990) on assertive community treatment (ACT) for the seriously mentally ill and raised questions as to why community psychologists have not been more involved in this research area. The relevance of ACT to community psychology was described in 6 areas: ecological approach, advocacy orientation, promotion of competence, prevention of psychopathology, integration of services, and systems theory. Three other areas were identified as critical for ACT and as domains in which community psychologists could provide future expertise: empowerment, research design, and community context effects. Community psychologists were challenged to reach out to the seriously mentally ill and demonstrate the relevance of this discipline to all disenfranchised persons.
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The possible impact of a prime time television film portraying a mentally ill killer was investigated. Groups of college students were shown the film with and without a film trailer reminding viewers that violence is not characteristic of mentally ill persons. ⋯ Postfilm responses to the Community Attitudes toward the Mentally Ill scale indicated that those who saw the target film expressed significantly less favorable attitudes toward mental illness and community care of mentally ill persons than did those who saw the control film, regardless of whether of not they received the trailer along with the target film. Results support concerns that media depictions add to mental illness stigma and also suggest that corrective information alone may be sufficient to counteract the stigmatizing impact of such audience-involving mass media portrayals.
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Two gun control laws designed to reduce different types of violent crimes were evaluated. In 1981, East St. Louis, IL, imposed stricter penalties for individuals who carry firearms outside their homes for protection (individuals could keep firearms in their homes). ⋯ In Evanston, IL, a slightly different approach was taken with legislation that banned handguns in the entire city (i.e., individuals could not keep handguns within their homes). A temporary reduction in firearm assaults occurred a few months before the gun law took effect. The implications of these findings are discussed.