Mental health problems represent a growing global concern. This has intensified since the coronavirus pandemic and is also partly due to greater awareness of the extent of mental health problems and the lack of attention they have received over time. In many high-income countries, increases in service provision have been accompanied by efforts to increase the mental health literacy of the general population. One example of this in Australia, is the mental health first aid training program which is informed by the mental health first aid guidelines created to promote mental health literacy among the general population, reduce stigma, and enable lay people to provide timely support, and facilitate access to health services for a person developing a mental health problem or in a mental health crisis.
Between March 2020 and May 2023, a consortium of researchers from Australia, Argentina and Chile carried out the cultural adaptation of five guidelines (drinking problems, depression, suicide risk, trauma, and psychosis) using the Delphi consensus methodology. Health professionals with expertise in each of the topics and people with lived experience (their own or as informal caregivers) from Argentina and Chile were grouped into separate panels. Over two survey rounds, they evaluated the items from the Australian guidelines and gave their opinion on the importance of their inclusion in the local guidelines. Additionally, they suggested items not included in the Australian guidelines.
This report presents the details of the methodology used and the most significant results of each of the five adapted guidelines, particularly, those of relevance to the Argentinian and Chilean context. The general acceptance of the role of the first aider stands out as an important outcome. However, in comparison to Australia, the first aider’s role was reduced and the health professional role was expanded. Self-help recommendations were typically not endorsed by local experts, suggesting skepticism toward these strategies. Other specific recommendations for each of the guidelines are described and analyzed in this report.
A study of the implementation of training courses based on these guidelines is required to make the necessary adaptations and determine their local usefulness.
Los problemas de salud mental en la comunidad representan una preocupación global creciente, intensificada desde la pandemia por coronavirus y gracias a una mayor conciencia respecto de su extensión y del bajo nivel de atención que recibieron a lo largo del tiempo. En Australia se crearon las primeras guías de primeros auxilios en salud mental para promover un mayor conocimiento de temas de salud mental en la población general, brindar apoyo oportuno, facilitar el acceso a los servicios de salud por esta problemática, y disminuir el estigma asociado al padecimiento mental.
Un consorcio de investigadores de Australia, Argentina y Chile, entre marzo de 2020 y mayo de 2023, realizó la adaptación cultural de cinco guías (consumo problemático de alcohol, depresión, riesgo de suicidio, trauma, y psicosis) siguiendo la metodología de consenso Delphi. Profesionales expertos en cada uno de los temas y personas con experiencia vivida  (propia o como cuidadores informales) conformaron sendos paneles con miembros de Argentina y de Chile. En dos rondas de consulta evaluaron los ítems provenientes de las guías de Australia y opinaron sobre su pertinencia para formar parte de las guías locales. Adicionalmente, sugirieron ítems que no estaban contemplados en las guías australianas.
El presente reporte presenta el detalle de la metodología empleada y los resultados más significativos de cada una de las cinco guías adaptadas y, particularmente, su aplicabilidad para Argentina y Chile. Sobresale la aceptación general del rol del asistente de primeros auxilios en salud mental, aunque también con limitaciones en el rol y funciones en favor del privilegio de profesionales de la salud. Las recomendaciones de auto-ayuda fueron mayoritariamente no aceptadas por los expertos locales, sugiriendo desconfianza respecto de estas estrategias. Otras recomendaciones específicas para cada una de las guías se describen y analizan en este reporte.
Se requiere un estudio de la implementación de la capacitación en base a estas guías para realizar ulteriores adaptaciones y determinar su utilidad local.

A Consensus Conference of clinicians, researchers, public health specialists and users was convened in Italy to review efficacy, effectiveness, treatment appropriateness and access to care for anxiety and depression, and to consider the role of psychological therapies. Expert opinion was sought concerning identification of people requiring psychological therapies according to levels of symptom severity matched to corresponding levels of treatment intensity, suitability of psychological therapies for subclinical anxiety or depression, definition of a minimum level of information on evidence-based psychotherapies to be provided by university medical and psychology courses, initiatives to raise awareness among potential users and decision makers on the role and effectiveness of psychological therapies in healthcare. The expert jury concluded that a number of psychological therapy models endorsed by most authoritative guidelines are supported by research showing their effectiveness at least equal to the drugs used in common mental disorders (CMDs). Such therapies are under-represented in the Italian public health system, leading many people to resort to the private sector, resulting in unacceptable wealth discrimination. The difficulty of accessing psychological treatments often entails the use of drug therapies in cases where they are not indicated. Starting from these assumptions, the experts recommended the promotion of better and timely recognition of anxiety and depressive disorders and their classification in terms of symptom intensity and functional impairment, differentiating subthreshold mood swings from clinical forms, to foster outcome studies of psychotherapies in CMDs in Italy, to introduce a stepped care model structured according to levels of intensity of treatment, based on wellbeing support strategies in nonmedical contexts for subthreshold situations, self-help, support and psychoeducation as frontline interventions in mild clinical forms, evidence-based psychotherapies in moderate and severe forms, with the option of combining psychological treatment and appropriate drug therapy in the most severe cases.

BACKGROUND: Treatment goals for mental illness have expanded from hospital discharge and improved functioning to employment, living alone, and personal realization. These changes in treatment goals have also influenced mental health research. Recent studies have addressed the development of core outcome sets focusing on clinical aspects of mental illness such as depression and anxiety. However, a well-developed framework of essential outcomes for people with mental illness (service users) who live in the community is lacking. In addition, recent worldwide trends suggest more patient and public involvement and the importance of considering multiple stakeholders\' views in the area of mental health research. Purpose of this study is to explore consensus on high-priority outcome domains among multiple stakeholders in community mental healthcare fields in Japan.
METHODS: A three-step approach to developing an outcome list will be used. First, we developed a long list of outcomes for community mental health through a literature review, focus group interviews with key stakeholders, and online questionnaire surveys of service users and caregivers. Second, the long list was checked and revised in a pilot study. Third, the long list will be shortened to the outcome list through the Delphi methodology with participation from multiple stakeholders.
CONCLUSIONS: Identifying important common outcome domains through collaboration with multiple stakeholders appears to contribute to the development of evidence for community mental health research in Japan. In addition, the study process itself may help promote patient and public involvement in education, practice, and research in the field of community mental health.

BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic has obstructed the classical practices of psychological assessment and intervention via face-to-face interaction. Patients and all health professionals have been forced to isolate and become innovative to continue receiving and providing exceptional healthcare services while minimizing the risk of exposure to, or transmission of, COVID-19.
OBJECTIVE: This document is proposed initially as a guide to the extraordinary implementation of telepsychology in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic and to extend its implementation to use fundamentally as the main guideline for telepsychology services in Saudi Arabia and other Arabic communities.
METHODS: A professional task force representing different areas of professional psychology reviewed, summarized, and documented methods, policies, procedures, and other resources to ensure that the recommendations and evidence reviews were valid and consistent with best practices.
RESULTS: The practice of telepsychology involves the consideration of legal and professional requirements. This paper provides a guideline and recommendations for procedural changes that are necessary to address psychological services as we transition to telepsychology, as well as elucidates and demonstrates practical telepsychology frameworks, procedures, and proper recommendations for the provision of services during COVID-19. It adds a focused examination and discussion related to factors that could influence the telemedicine guideline, such as culture, religion, legal matters, and how clinical psychologists could expand their telepsychology practice during COVID-19 and after, seeking to produce broadly applicable guidelines for the practice of telepsychology. Professional steps in practical telemedicine were illustrated in tables and examples.
CONCLUSIONS: Telepsychology is not a luxury or a temporary response. Rather, it should be considered part of a proactive governance model to secure a continuity of mental health care services. Arabic communities could benefit from this guideline to telepsychology as an essential protocol for providing mental health services during and after the COVID-19 pandemic.
BACKGROUND: La pandémie COVID-19 fait obstacle aux pratiques classiques d’évaluation et d’intervention psychologiques par le biais d’une interaction en face à face. Les patients et tous les professionnels de la santé ont été contraints de s’isoler et d’innover pour continuer à recevoir et à fournir des services de santé exceptionnels tout en minimisant le risque d’exposition à la COVID-19 ou de transmission de cette maladie.
OBJECTIVE: Ce document se propose dans un premier temps comme un guide pour la mise en œuvre extraordinaire de la télépsychologie dans le contexte de la pandémie COVID-19 et ensuite pour étendre sa mise en œuvre afin de l’utiliser comme principale ligne directrice pour les services de télépsychologie en Arabie Saoudite et dans d’autres communautés arabes.
UNASSIGNED: Un groupe de travail professionnel représentant différents domaines de la psychologie professionnelle a examiné, résumé et documenté les méthodes, politiques, procédures et autres ressources afin de s’assurer que les recommandations et les examens des preuves étaient valides et conformes aux meilleures pratiques.
UNASSIGNED: La pratique de la télépsychologie implique la prise en compte des exigences légales et professionnelles. Ce document fournit une ligne directrice et des recommandations pour les changements de procédure qui sont nécessaires pour traiter les services psychologiques lors de la transition vers la télépsychologie, ainsi qu’il élucide et démontre les cadres pratiques de la télépsychologie, les procédures et les recommandations appropriées pour la fourniture de services pendant la COVID-19. Il ajoute un examen et une discussion ciblés liés aux facteurs qui pourraient influencer la directive sur la télémédecine, tels que la culture, la religion, les questions juridiques, et la façon dont les psychologues cliniques pourraient étendre leur pratique de la télépsychologie pendant COVID-19 et après, en cherchant à produire des directives largement applicables pour la pratique de la télépsychologie. Les étapes professionnelles de la télémédecine pratique ont été illustrées dans des tableaux et des exemples.
CONCLUSIONS: La télépsychologie n’est pas un luxe ni une réponse temporaire. Elle doit plutôt être considérée comme faisant partie d’un modèle de gouvernance proactive visant à assurer la continuité des services de soins de santé mentale. Les communautés arabes pourraient tirer profit de cette directive sur la télépsychologie en tant que protocole essentiel pour la fourniture de services de santé mentale pendant et après la pandémie COVID-19.