Social contact refers to the facilitation of connection and interactions between people with and without mental health conditions. It can be achieved, for example, through people sharing their lived experience of mental health conditions, which is an effective strategy for stigma reduction. Meaningful involvement of people with lived experience (PWLE) in leading and co-leading anti-stigma interventions can/may promote autonomy and resilience. Our paper aimed to explore how PWLE have been involved in research and anti-stigma interventions to improve effective means of involving PWLE in stigma reduction activities in LMICs. A qualitative collective case study design was adopted. Case studies from four LMICs (China, Ethiopia, India and Nepal) are summarized, briefly reflecting on the background of the work, alongside anticipated and experienced challenges, strategies to overcome these, and recommendations for future work. We found that the involvement of PWLEs in stigma reduction is commonly a new concept in LMIC. Experienced and anticipated challenges were similar, such as identifying suitable persons to engage in the work and sustaining their involvement. Such an approach can be difficult because PWLE might be apprehensive about the negative consequences of disclosure. In many case studies, we found that long-standing professional connectedness, continued encouragement, information sharing, debriefing and support helped the participants’ involvement. We recommend that confidentiality of the individual, cultural norms and family concerns be prioritized and respected during the implementation. Taking into account socio-cultural contextual factors, it is possible to directly involve PWLEs in social contact-based anti-stigma interventions.

Numerous studies have focused on concepts of self esteem during the period of adolescence, but studies about self portrayal or self image are less frequent. They find their sources in the theories of the contemporary psychoanalytical schools about narcissism and “the Self”concept.

The reference to the “Self” is more frequently found in Anglo-Saxon studies. The focus is on the links between “The Self” and subjective experience as well as construction of personal identity in relation with developmental psychopathology. The construction of personal identity is due to a very complex process: the person has to figure up his own physical and psychic features and at the same time has to live in social interaction.

In reference to a developmental and psychogenetic approach, the interactions between the “Self” and the group will play an important role during the period of adolescence. It is necessary to focus on the identity process in reference with parental psychopathology and environment.

The contribution of the Rey- Weinstein test is focussed precisely on this double approach:

André Rey whose concerns were mainly on development and construction of personality created this test, modernized by G. Weinstein, both authors aiming to explore the field of

self image. By doing the test, the adolescent is asked to self evaluate himself on physical, intellectual, social and psychic features and to figure up how he would be evaluated by people surrounding him.

Projection of fears and desires, various levels of identifications sustain the self evaluation process and create a specific dynamic during the assessment.

In this clinical interactive prospect, the Rey Weinstein self evaluation test and in addition the

N. PUIG VERGES AND G.WEINSTEIN self portrait test contribute to the explore the self evaluation process and allow the adolescent to understand the way he lives, the way he builds his self experience and his own identity.

Background: Cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) has been found to be generally effective for persons with schizophrenia. Less is known however about those who will engage in this treatment, and among those who engage, who benefits more versus less from this intervention. Aims: This study sought to identify factors associated with treatment engagement and response in persons with psychosis engaged in CBT focused on enhancing work function. Method: Participants were 50 adults with schizophrenia-spectrum disorders participating in a randomized control trial that offered both CBT and a protected employment position over 26 weeks. Survival analysis and discriminant analyses were used to analyze the data. Results: Results indicated that poor treatment engagement and engagement in work was associated with lower educational attainment, more severe baseline levels of negative symptoms, and lower baseline scores on the Arithmetic and Digit Symbol subscales of the WAIS-III. Amongst those participants who did engage, younger age and poorer working memory as assessed by the Arithmetic subscale predicted shorter initial job tenure. More severe levels of positive symptoms and lower self-esteem during the later stages of treatment were associated with worse employment outcomes across the study period. Conclusions: These findings evidence differential predictors of engagement and success and suggest that a subgroup of persons with schizophrenia engaged in CBT and a vocational placement are at risk for poor functional outcomes associated with psychological factors that evolve over time.

This was a cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT) group for formulation and treatment of low self-esteem, with emphasis on the use of creative approaches (stories, metaphors and experiential exercises) to enhance memory and learning. Evaluation of outcome for 72 clients attending these groups indicates that this is a successful intervention in terms of self-esteem, anxiety and depression. Qualitative feedback has been very positive and there has been a steady and increasing demand in terms of referrals.