Concept mapping in mental health: uses and adaptations

Concept mapping is a structured method for translating complex qualitative data into a pictorial form that displays the interrelationships among ideas . Over the past ten years, this methodology has been applied to numerous pr ogram planning and program evaluation issues in a variety of disciplines. T he ability to adapt concept mapping methodology to meet specialized needs a nd to accommodate external constraints has been demonstrated during this pe riod. This paper describes the use of concept mapping in the field of commu nity mental health. Investigators have used concept mapping for purposes ra nging from mental health needs assessment to studying program models and th eory. Adaptations to the methodology hale been applied to the ways in which the qualitative data are generated, structured, represented, and interpret ed. Examples from the mental health literature are presented to illustrate these purposes and adaptations. The contributions and value of concept mapp ing to the mental health field are discussed. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd . All rights reserved.