GOALS:
We
have tried to identify terms commonly used in academic, technical, and/or
clinical writing about mental health research and to define these terms in
language that will be accessible to a broader audience, particularly including
consumers/ex-patients/survivors who have not had specialized training in
research. In doing so, we hope to
expand the pool of information available to consumers and to facilitate further,
more productive communication among consumers, researchers, and providers.
The definitions we offer here are not attempting to take the place of
technical definitions. They are meant to be simple and introductory, allowing a
general first reading rather than a detailed and specialized one. We have given
examples frequently, and have cross-referenced other items wherever possible. We have made plain, basic language a high priority because we
want the glossary to be useful to as many people as it can be, whatever their
backgrounds, levels of education, or levels of functioning.
It has often been difficult to balance this priority with the need for
accuracy and focus, but the difficulty itself has shown us how important
workable lay definitions of research terms could be.
PROCESS:
This
glossary was created as part of a Center for Mental Health Services contract to
produce a monograph on "Exemplary Practices for Measuring Consumer
Satisfaction." Drs. Jean Campbell and Suzanne Culter in the Program for
Consumer Studies and Training at the Missouri Institute of Mental Health (MIMH)
created a preliminary list of terms. Dr.
Culter then defined the terms in language that was simpler than the language of
most reference books but still fairly inaccessible to many readers.
Teresa Rittenhouse further simplified these definitions and added
examples and new terms. Drs. Debbie
Zand and Richard Evenson at MIMH and Anika Keens-Douglas at ROW Sciences
reviewed that draft. These
reviewers' comments, corrections, and additions were incorporated (sometimes
after being further simplified) wherever possible.
Ms. Keens-Douglas suggested, and we agreed, that the final glossary be
divided into a complete glossary and sub-glossaries dealing specifically with
cultural competency, acronyms, consumer research, etc. We are now developing a
list of terms to be added to the next draft, and are revising the attached draft
at the same time. Comments from
anyone -- consumers, researchers, providers, family members -- reading the
glossary will be welcomed. We plan
to offer (on and off the website) an extensive update, improved by readers'
reactions and additions, each year.
HOW
TO USE THE GLOSSARY:
You
can look up acronyms as well as terms. Acronyms
are cross-referenced and defined after their expansions.
If you see a word or phrase in quotation marks within a definition, that
word or phrase is also defined elsewhere in the glossary.
We recommend that you use this glossary when reading through a
clinical/technical/academic text quickly to get its general ideas, if some of
its language is not familiar to you, but that you also consult a standard
reference book if you are interested in the text in detail.
If you find something in or about the glossary confusing or inaccurate,
please contact Rita Adkins, who will note your comments for the current
revision, at any point. Please also
contact her for any further information:
5400
Arsenal Street