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This study examined the perceptions of counselors in training concerning nonsuicidal self-injurious behaviors (NSSI), diagnosis, and the influence of gender-normative expectations on clinical decision making. Participants were asked to respond to a set of questions after reading a randomly assigned case study. The purpose was to determine the process through which counseling professionals diagnosed adolescents who self-injure and whether the sex of the client influenced the decision. Cases presented were identical except that the sex of the client was altered. It appears that societal expectations associated with biological sex may influence counselor diagnostic decisions at the training level. Implications for diagnosis, counselor training, and future research are presented.

The Mental Health Facilitator (MHF) program utilizes a population-based curriculum and has been implemented in Malawi for the past seven years. This article reports findings from an ethnographic study that explored how 40 MHF stakeholders have experienced the MHF program. This transdisciplinary program is a 30-hour training in community mental health that focuses on fundamental helping skills; identification of stress, distress and mental disorders; and appropriate community referral and followup. Results indicated four interrelated themes representing participants' beliefs about their experiences with the training, including the curriculum's responsiveness to the Malawian context, the availability and limitations of resources, the processes involved, and a variety of identified outcomes. Implications for community implementation and future directions are identified.

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