Ghana Journal International of Mental Health
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Ghana Journal International of Mental Health Volume 1 Number 1 September 2009 EDITOR-IN-CHIEF C. Charles Mate-Kole University of Ghana FOUNDER Samuel A. Danquah University of Ghana ASSOCIATE EDITOR Adam Nyarko Danquah London 1 ALL RIGHT RESERVED Copyright@ 2009 by Ghana international Journal of Mental Health. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form, or by any means of electrical, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without prior consent of the publishers. Address: Professor C. Charles Mate-Kole Editor-in-Chief Ghana International Journal of Mental Health Department of Psychology University of Ghana P.O. Box LG 84 Legon, Accra Email: [email protected] / [email protected] Phone: +233-26-5158672 Publishers: Department of Psychiatry, University of Ghana Medical School Department of Psychology, University of Ghana Ghana Association of Clinical Psychologists Sponsors: Progressive Life Centre Washington D.C. Printed by: G-Pak Limited, Main subsidiary of Graphic Communication Group. P.O. Box 742, Accra, Ghana. Email: [email protected] 2 EDITOR-IN-CHIEF FOUNDER ASSOCIATE EDITOR C. Charles Mate-Kole Samuel A. Danquah Adam Nyarko Danquah University of Ghana University of Ghana London, UK EDITORIAL BOARD Nii Bonney Andrews Daudi Azibo Tema International NeuroCenter Grambling State Accra, Ghana Loiusiana, USA John F. Connolly John DeFrancesco McMaster University American International College Hamilton, Ontario, Canada Massachusetts, USA Vivian Dzokoto, Joel Harvey Virginia Commonwealth University of Cambridge University, Virginia, USA U.K. Fredrick W. Hickling David M. Ndetei The University of the West Indies University of Nairobi Jamaica, WI Kenya Angela Ofori-Atta Samuel Ohene University of Ghana Medical School University of Ghana Medical School Accra, Ghana Accra, Ghana Akwasi Osei Solomon Tshimong Rataemane Accra Psychiatric Hospital University of Limpopo (MEDUNSA Accra, Ghana CAMPUS), Pretoria, South Africa Maxwell Twum Araba Sefa-Dede Fayetteville State University University of Ghana Medical School North Carolina, USA Accra, Ghana Thaddeus Ulzen Shawn Utsey University of Alabama Virginia Commonwealth University Tuscaloosa, Alabama Richmond, Virginia, USA USA Ming Wai Wang Editorial Manager University of Manchester, Sheriffa Mahama Manchester, U.K. University of Ghana, Legon Frederick Philips Progressive Life Centre Washington D.C. 3 CONTENTS Editorial 5 Commentary: S. A. Danquah 7 Commentary: Akwasi Osei 8 The Effect of Patient Participation in Collaborative Goal Setting in Psychotherapy: A Clinical Psychology Approach in Therapy in Ghana Samuel A. Danquah and Mavis Asare 10 Do cultural identity and control perceptions have any bearing on how satisfied we are with our lives? Frances Emily Owusu-Ansah 22 Psychosocial factors associated with symptoms of depression among Ghanaian adolescent students in junior and senior high schools. Mabel Oti-Boadi 35 Efficacy of cognitive training intervention programs in patients with dementia Rachel Bieu, C. Charles Mate-Kole, Patti Said, Robert Fellows, Katherine Catayong, James Conway, Rebecca Wood & Jake McDougal 51 The effects of knowledge and health beliefs on coping amongst adult sickle cell patients Olive O.Okraku, Angela Ofori-Atta, S. A, Danquah, I. Ekem and J. K. Acquaye 64 Doll Choice in Young Children: Representing Self through Skin Color Sheriffa Mahama, Adam Nyarko Danquah, Ming Wai Wan 77 Recognition of Nonwords in Two Patients with Deep Dyslexia: Implications for Models of Reading Rebecca M. Wood and C. Charles Mate-Kole 86 Psychotropic Medicine Shortages in Ghana: A Situation Analysis Truelove Antwi-Bekoe 1 , Dominic N.W Deme-Der, Gordon M. Donnir, Shoba Raja, Badimak and Yaro Peter 112 Exposure to violence on television and video games and aggressive behavior among children: Wiafe-Akenten C.B. 121 4 Editorial Mental health continues to be a contentious issue in our society. It is considered a stigma even though at least one in three people would experience some kind of a mental illness in the course of their lives. Despite these figures mental illness appears to rouse negativity thus isolating the mentally ill to a sub human category. I recall an incident during the Ghana at 50 celebrations when comments were made about “removing the lunatics from the streets”. Comments which were both insensitive and derogatory. It demonstrates the lack of understanding about mental illness. The irony is the fact that mental health embraces all aspects of health, from general medicine, child health, internal medicine, hematology, oncology, gynecology and of course, neuropsychiatry. Our ignorance may be borne by the fact that mental illness is usually accompanied by negative media. Thus, there is an increasing need for a medium to engage in intellectual discourse on mental health issues. The birth of this new journal is long overdue and we have made attempts to present mental health to reflect its diversity and complexity. The topics for the issue cover range of areas from depression, treatment approaches, cultural identity, dementia, acquired dyslexia, policy and aggression. The issue includes original articles as well as literature reviews. It is our hope to include a section on grand rounds, case studies and correspondence in future. The journal will be published bi-annually in April and November. Many colleagues have been instrumental in ensuring the success of this new journal, and I would remiss if I did not acknowledge them; Professor Danquah, Sheriffa Mahama and Dr. Adam Danquah – they have worked tirelessly for a long time to develop this journal. They have provided such invaluable service; they all deserve our appreciation. We thank the members of the editorial board for reviewing the manuscripts and submitting their reviews expeditiously. The journal has received such an enthusiastic welcome that we cannot fail. As reflected in Dr. Osei’s commentary, “this new day has dawned on us “and we must ensure its s survival; we shall keep it current and alive for a long time to come; we will build on it. This journal, unlike some other African journals is here to stay. It will surpass us all and history will remember you, the Editorial Board for seeing to the sustainability of this auspicious journal. 5 We encourage and invite submissions related to all aspects of mental health; research, reviews, commentaries and short correspondence. Although we cannot promise to publish every work submitted, we will at the very least, work with you to maintain high standards. It is our hope that this new mouthpiece on mental health becomes part of any professional journals found anywhere in the world. I invite your participation of this worthy cause. C. Charles Mate-Kole Editor-In-Chief Professor of Psychology University of Ghana, Legon 6 Commentary The new Journal, Ghana International Journal of Mental Health will at least make possible the publication of papers in subject areas that have long been inadequately covered here in Ghana and other parts of Africa. In particular, the journal’s aim is to reflect on current mental health trends in many different countries, allowing mental health professionals the opportunity to become familiar with development elsewhere. The journal will devote more attention to mental health issues through research and other articles which are of outstanding historical or biographical interest and often remained unpublished. Mental Health has been given a new dimension since the World Health Organization (WHO) defined health not as the absence of a disease or physical disability, but the existence of a state of complete physical, mental and social well being. The experience of western countries has shown that mental ill-health can assume an important position in health care services. The phenomenological increase in mental health problems in these countries has brought in its wake a concomitant phenomenal increase in the number of mental health professionals and mental health oriented research. Developing countries have not as yet experienced a comparable upheaval in their mental experiences but the realities of the present mental health problems will demand more attention than it is getting now. However, the gradual increase in the research by psychologists, psychiatrists, social workers and mental health nurses and others in the developing countries will share this information with their counterparts in other developing countries through the use of this International Journal of Mental Health Publication. I hope this journal will continue after this first publication to make available valuable and important contributions to mental health by publishing regularly materials in the field. This will provide subscribers with an unrivalled and comprehensive coverage in Mental Health issues. S. A. Danquah Founder Professor of Psychology University of Ghana, Legon 7 Commentary Welcome GIMHJ - A new day has dawned A situation analysis of mental health system and services in Ghana showed that there is very little research output in mental health in Ghana. Indeed from 2000 to 2005 it was found that only 1% of all articles on health in Ghana as identified on PubMed were on mental health (Osei, 2004; Doku et al. - unpublished). This is a very low rate indicating that there is very little research activity going on in mental health in Ghana. The story is not too different in other parts in Sub-Sahara Africa or indeed in all of Africa. Many factors account for that, for example work load among