Education Commons^™

Societal Perspective On Access To Publicly Subsidised Medicines: A Cross Sectional Survey Of 3080 Adults In Australia, Lesley Chim, Glenn P. Salkeld, Patrick J. Kelly, Wendy Lipworth, Dyfrig A. Hughes, Martin R. Stockler

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Background Around the world government agencies responsible for the selection and reimbursement of prescribed medicines and other health technologies are considering how best to bring community preferences into their decision making. In particular, community views about the distribution or equity of funding across the population. These official committees and agencies often have access to the best available and latest evidence on clinical effectiveness, safety and cost from large clinical trials and population-based studies. All too often they do not have access to high quality evidence about community views. We therefore, conducted a large and representative population-based survey in Australia to …

With Moonlight's Oscar Win, Hollywood Begins To Right Old Wrongs, Scott J. Mckinnon

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

When Faye Dunaway, standing next to a puzzled-looking Warren Beatty, announced that La La Land had won Best Picture at Monday's Oscars, I doubt many people were surprised. Sure, pretty much all of the queer film fans, writers and academics I follow on Twitter were hoping for a win by the new gay classic Moonlight, but we are a crowd that has been disappointed before.

Wheat, Sheep Or Elvis Presley? Rural Australia Has Had To Change Its Tune, John Connell, Christopher R. Gibson

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Rural and regional Australia have had a hard time of late. The economies of Sydney and Melbourne are growing, but much of the rest of their states are not. The population of regional areas is stagnating and agriculture is struggling. Perhaps worst of all there is a feeling that no-one in Canberra or in the booming coastal periphery cares about this. The people of Orange have apparently spoken. Outside Sydney, behind what seems like an impervious sandstone curtain, not all is well. Even the largest towns in regional New South Wales are struggling to retain their populations and have faced …

Understanding Carers' Lived Experience Of Stigma: The Voice Of Families With A Child On The Autism Spectrum, Timothy Broady, Gerard J. Stoyles, Corinne Morse

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Existing research suggests that there are several unique challenges associated with caring for a child on the autism spectrum. Despite a growing evidence base regarding autism spectrum disorders and their increasing prevalence, children on the autism spectrum and their families continue to perceive stigmatisation from various sources throughout the community. These perceptions of stigma can profoundly impact the quality of life of these children and their carers alike. This exploratory study sought to investigate carers' perceptions of stigma in caring for a child with high functioning autism. Fifteen carers from Sydney and the South Coast regions of New South Wales, …

Cognitive And Psychological Flexibility After A Traumatic Brain Injury And The Implications For Treatment In Acceptance-Based Therapies: A Conceptual Review, Diane L. Whiting, Frank P. Deane, Grahame K. Simpson, Hamish J. Mcleod, Joseph Ciarrochi

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

2015 Taylor & Francis This paper provides a selective review of cognitive and psychological flexibility in the context of treatment for psychological distress after traumatic brain injury, with a focus on acceptance-based therapies. Cognitive flexibility is a component of executive function that is referred to mostly in the context of neuropsychological research and practice. Psychological flexibility, from a clinical psychology perspective, is linked to health and well-being and is an identified treatment outcome for therapies such as acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT). There are a number of overlaps between the constructs. They both manifest in the ability to change behaviour …

Continued Participation In Youth Sports: The Role Of Achievement Motivation, Lauren Gardner, Stewart A. Vella, Christopher A. Magee

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

This study explored the antecedents of enjoyment and intention to continue in youth sports using the social-cognitive model of achievement motivation with the 2x2 achievement goal modification. Participants were 327 sports participants aged between 11 and 15 years. Individuals high in incremental beliefs reported greater enjoyment and intention to continue. This was perhaps due to endorsing mastery-approach goals. Individuals relatively high in entity beliefs reported relatively less enjoyment. This was perhaps due to endorsing performance-avoidance goals. These individuals also reported relatively less intention to continue regardless of their achievement goals. Findings could have implications for preventing dropout from youth sports.

Neurological Soft Signs: Effects Of Trait Schizotypy, Psychological Distress And Auditory Hallucination Predisposition, Saskia De Leede-Smith, Steven J. Roodenrys, Lauren Horsley, Shannen Matrini, Erin Mison, Emma Barkus

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

No abstract provided.

Current Forms Of Inhibitory Training Produce No Greater Reduction In Drinking Than Simple Assessment: A Preliminary Study, Janette Smith, Nicole Dash, Stuart J. Johnstone, Katrijn Houben, Matt Field

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

2017 Elsevier B.V.Background Disinhibition is apparent in users of many substances, including heavy drinkers. Previous research has shown that brief training to improve inhibitory control is associated with reduced alcohol consumption. We investigated whether a new form of inhibitory training would produce greater reductions, relative to a carefully designed control condition and a proven method of reducing consumption, the Brief Alcohol Intervention (BAI). Methods One hundred and fourteen regular drinkers were assigned randomly to one of five training conditions: Control (no inhibitory training); Beer-NoGo (inhibit responses linked to task-irrelevant pictures of beer); Restrained-Stop (requiring more urgent inhibition but without pictures …

Mental Health Workers' Values And Thier Congruency With Recovery Principles, Bianca Glajz, Frank P. Deane, Virginia Williams

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Recovery in mental health emphasises the empowerment of clients to discover and develop hope and a more satisfying life often in presence of ongoing symptoms of mental health.

Community Mobilization For Hiv Testing Uptake: Results From A Community Randomized Trial Of A Theory-Based Intervention In Rural South Africa, Sheri Lippman, Torsten Neilands, Catherine L. Mac Phail, Dean Peacock, Suzanne Maman, Dumisani Rebombo, Rhian Twine, Amanda Selin, Hannah Leslie, Kathleen Kahn, Audrey Pettifor

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Background: HIV testing uptake in South Africa is below optimal levels. Community mobilization (CM) may increase and sustain demand for HIV testing, however, little rigorous evidence exists regarding the effect of CM interventions on HIV testing and the mechanisms of action.

Methods: We implemented a theory-driven CM intervention in 11 of 22 randomly-selected villages in rural Mpumalanga Province. Cross-sectional surveys including a community mobilization measure were conducted before (n = 1181) and after (n = 1175) a 2-year intervention (2012–2014). We assessed community-level intervention effects on reported HIV testing using multilevel logistic models. We used structural equation models to explore …

What Are Standardized Literacy And Numeracy Tests Testing? Evidence Of The Domain-General Contributions To Students' Standardized Educational Test Performance, Steven J. Howard, Stuart Woodcock, John F. Ehrich, Sahar Bokosmaty

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Background: A fundamental aim of standardized educational assessment is to achieve reliable discrimination between students differing in the knowledge, skills and abilities assessed. However, questions of the purity with which these tests index students' genuine abilities have arisen. Specifically, literacy and numeracy assessments may also engage unintentionally assessed capacities. Aims: The current study investigated the extent to which domain-general processes - working memory (WM) and non-verbal reasoning - contribute to students' standardized test performance and the pathway(s) through which they exert this influence. Sample Participants were 91 Grade 2 students recruited from five regional and metropolitan primary schools in Australia. …

Total Diet Score As A Valid Method Of Measuring Diet Quality Among Older Adults, Joanna Russell, Victoria M. Flood, Ali Sadeghpour, Bamini Gopinath, Paul Mitchell

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Background and Objectives: This study aimed to determine the accuracy of a diet quality measurement tool, the Total Diet Score (TDS) using two validation methods; firstly the TDS calculated from a food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) was compared to the TDS calculated from weighed food records (WFRs); secondly the TDS was compared to a number of dietary biomarkers. Methods and Study Design: Data were collected from a population based cohort study located in the Blue Mountains region of Sydney, Australia. To compare dietary assessment tools, a sub sample of 75 subjects (aged 63 to 83 years) completed the FFQ and three, …

The Relationship Between Neighbourhood Green Space And Child Mental Wellbeing Depends Upon Whom You Ask: Multilevel Evidence From 3083 Children Aged 12-13 Years, Xiaoqi Feng, Thomas E. Astell-Burt

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Recent reviews of the rapidly growing scientific literature on neighbourhood green space and health show strong evidence for protective and restorative effects on mental wellbeing. However, multiple informants are common when reporting mental wellbeing in studies of children. Do different informants lead to different results? This study utilised nationally representative data on Goodman’s 25-item Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire reported by 3083 children (aged 12–13 years old), and their parents and teachers. Multilevel models were used to investigate whether similar associations between child mental wellbeing (as measured using the total difficulties score and the internalising and externalising subscales) and neighbourhood green …

How Technology Shapes Assessment Design: Findings From A Study Of University Teachers, Sue Bennett, Phillip Dawson, Margaret Bearman, Elizabeth K. Molloy, David J. Boud

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

A wide range of technologies has been developed to enhance assessment, but adoption has been inconsistent. This is despite assessment being critical to student learning and certification. To understand why this is the case and how it can be addressed, we need to explore the perspectives of academics responsible for designing and implementing technology-supported assessment strategies. This paper reports on the experience of designing technology-supported assessment based on interviews with 33 Australian university teachers. The findings reveal the desire to achieve greater efficiencies and to be contemporary and innovative as key drivers of technology adoption for assessment. Participants sought to …

Qualitative Process Evaluation Of An Australian Alcohol Media Literacy Study: Recommendations For Designing Culturally Responsive School-Based Programs, Chloe Gordon, Lisa K. Kervin, Sandra C. Jones, Steven J. Howard

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Background: Alcohol media literacy programs seek to mitigate the potentially harmful effects of alcohol advertising on children's drinking intentions and behaviours through equipping them with skills to challenge media messages. In order for such programs to be effective, the teaching and learning experiences must be tailored to their specific cultural context. Media in the Spotlight is an alcohol media literacy program aimed at 9 to 12 year old Australian children. This study evaluates the process and implementation of the program, outlining the factors that facilitated and inhibited implementation. From this evaluation, a pedagogical framework has been developed for health professionals …

Educator Engagement And Interaction And Children's Physical Activity In Early Childhood Education And Care Settings: An Observational Study Protocol, Karen Tonge, Rachel A. Jones, M. Hagenbuchner, Tuc Nguyen, Anthony D. Okely

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Introduction: The benefits of regular physical activity for children are significant. Previous research has addressed the quantity and quality of children's physical activity while in early childhood education and care (ECEC) settings, yet little research has investigated the social and physical environmental influences on physical activity in these settings. The outcomes of this study will be to measure these social and physical environmental influences on children's physical activity using a combination of a real-time location system (RTLS) (a closed system that tracks the location of movement of participants via readers and tags), accelerometry and direct observation. Methods and analysis: This …

The Role Of Community Sports Clubs In Adolescent Mental Health: The Perspectives Of Adolescent Males' Parents, Diarmuid Hurley, Christian F. Swann, Mark S. Allen, Anthony D. Okely, Stewart A. Vella

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Adolescent males are at relatively high risk of developing mental health disorders and show low rates of help seeking when mental health disorders arise. Parents are the primary source of support for adolescents and therefore have an important role in mental health promotion and prevention of mental health disorders. The aim of this study was to examine the perceptions of adolescent males' parents on the potential role of community sport clubs in adolescent mental health promotion. Forty-six parents of adolescent males took part in 10 focus groups to investigate parents' mental health knowledge, beliefs and attitudes, perceptions of the role …

Psychological States Underlying Excellent Performance In Sport: Toward An Integrated Model Of Flow And Clutch States, Christian F. Swann, Lee Crust, Patricia C. Jackman, Stewart A. Vella, Mark S. Allen, Richard J. Keegan

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

This study investigated the psychological states underlying excellent performance in 26 athletes (Mage = 29 years, SD = 7.7) across a range of sports (team, net/wall, sprint, endurance, adventure) and standards (world class to recreational). Participants were primarily interviewed on average 4 days after excellent performances. The data were analyzed thematically. Distinct states of flow and clutch were reported, each of which occurred through separate contexts and processes, while athletes also transitioned between states during performance. These findings extend current knowledge of the psychology of excellent performance and are discussed in terms of implications for future research and applied practice.

Relationship Between Children's Physical Activity, Sedentary Behavior, And Childcare Environments: A Cross Sectional Study, Michele Peden, Rachel A. Jones, Silvia Costa, Yvonne Ellis, Anthony D. Okely

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between the childcare environment and physical activity and sedentary behavior of toddlers and preschoolers. A total of 68 toddlers (1.0–2.9 years) and 233 preschoolers (3.0–5.9 years) were recruited from 11 childcare services in 2013 within the Illawarra and Shoalhaven region of NSW, Australia. For this study analysis was conducted in 2016. The childcare environmentwas assessed using the Environment and Policy Assessment Observation (EPAO) instrument, and childcare services categorized as low, medium, or high based on their scores. Time spent in physical activity and sitting was assessed over one week using …

Developing Intervention Strategies To Optimise Body Composition In Early Childhood In South Africa, Catherine E. Draper, Simone Tomaz, Matthew Stone, Trina Hinkley, Rachel A. Jones, Johann Louw, Rhian Twine, Kathleen Kahn, Shane A. Norris

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

The purpose of this research was to collect data to inform intervention strategies to optimise body composition in South African preschool children. Methods. Data were collected in urban and rural settings. Weight status, physical activity, and gross motor skill assessments were conducted with 341 3-6-year-old children, and 55 teachers and parents/caregivers participated in focus groups. Results. Overweight and obesity were a concern in low-income urban settings (14%), but levels of physical activity and gross motor skills were adequate across all settings. Focus group findings from urban and rural settings indicated that teachers would welcome input on leading activities to promote …

Knowledge And Attitudes To Sexual Health And Sti Testing For Students At An Australian Regional University: A Cross-Sectional Study, Catherine L. Mac Phail, Tinashe Dune, Gina Dillon, Saifur Rahman, Rasheda Khanam, Laura Jenkins, Marnie Britton, Bernie Green, Christine Edwards, Annette Stevenson

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Notifications for sexually transmitted diseases in young people in Australia are increasing. Young people are a priority population within the National Sexually Transmissible Infections Strategy, yet their knowledge of sexual health issues is limited. In the context of Health-Promoting Universities, we examined sexual health knowledge and access to care of both on and off-campus students at a regional university. In late 2012, 418 tertiary students aged 18-29 years completed an online baseline survey on their recent sexual behaviours and attitudes. In mid-2014, 956 students aged 18-31 years, of which 105 had completed the 2012 survey, completed the same or "endline" …

"I Feel Like Having A Nervous Breakdown": Pre-Service And In-Service Teachers' Developing Beliefs And Knowledge About Pronunciation Instruction, Michael Burri, Amanda Ann Baker, Honglin Chen

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Evidence on the impact of second language teacher education is inconclusive in the area of pronunciation pedagogy. This study explores how the cognition (knowledge, beliefs, thoughts, attitudes and perceptions) of 10 pre-service and five in-service teachers developed during a postgraduate course on pronunciation pedagogy. Questionnaire items, focus group meetings, semi-structured interviews, classroom observations and an assessment task were used to trace the development of participants' beliefs and knowledge. Findings demonstrated that the development of the student teachers' cognition was limited and the notion of integrating pronunciation into L2 lessons proved to be challenging for participants irrespective of their pronunciation teaching …

Pharmacology Students' Perceptions Of Creating Multimodal Digital Explanations, Wendy S. Nielsen, Garry F. Hoban, Christopher J. T Hyland

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Students can now digitally construct their own representations of scientific concepts using a variety of modes including writing, diagrams, 2-D and 3-D models, images or speech, all of which communicate meaning. In this study, final-year chemistry students studying a pharmacology subject created a ''blended media'' digital product as an assignment to summarize an independently prepared technical literature review on a current research topic in pharmacology for a non-expert audience. A blended media is a simplified way for students to combine a variety of modes to complement a narration to explain a concept to others. In this study, the students learned …

The Preschool Activity, Technology, Health, Adiposity, Behaviour And Cognition (Path-Abc) Cohort Study: Rationale And Design, Dylan P. Cliff, Jade Mcneill, Stewart A. Vella, Steven J. Howard, Megan A. Kelly, Douglas J. Angus, Ian M. R Wright, Rute Santos, Marijka Batterham, Edward Melhuish, Anthony D. Okely, Marc De Rosnay

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Background: Prevalence estimates internationally suggest that many preschool-aged children (3-5 years) are insufficiently physically active and engage in high levels of screen-based entertainment. Early childhood is the developmental period for which we know the least about the effects of physical activity on development and health. Likewise, rapid technological advancements in mobile electronic media have made screen-based forms of entertainment for young children ubiquitous, and research demonstrating the impacts on cognition, psychosocial well-being, and health has lagged behind the rate of adoption of these technologies. The purpose of the Preschool Activity, Technology, Health, Adiposity, Behaviour and Cognition (PATH-ABC) study is to …

Joint Development Of Teacher Cognition And Identity Through Learning To Teach L2 Pronunciation, Michael S. Burri, Honglin Chen, Amanda Ann Baker

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

The constructs of teacher cognition and teacher identity have recently gained considerable attention in second language teacher education research for their crucial roles in understanding teacher learning. While a number of current studies have examined the contributions of both constructs, the connections between cognition and identity are yet to be fully conceptualized. This article addresses this gap by drawing on the notion of identification to examine the identity construction and cognition development of 15 student teachers in the context of a postgraduate course on pronunciation pedagogy. Questionnaires, focus group interviews, observations, and semi-structured interviews were triangulated to obtain an in-depth …

Physical And Physiological Demands Of Recreational Team Handball For Adult Untrained Men, Susana Povoas, Carlo Castagna, Carlos Resende, Eduardo Coelho, Pedro Silva, Rute Santos, Andre Filipe Teixeira E Seabra, Juan Tamames, Mariana Lopes, Morten Randers, Peter Krustrup

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Lack of motivation to exercise was reported as a major cause of sedentary behavior in adulthood. This descriptive study examines the acute physical and physiological demands of recreational team handball and evaluates whether it could be suggested as an exercise mode for fitness and health enhancement in 33-55-year-old untrained men. Time-motion, heart rate (HR), and blood lactate analyses were obtained from 4 recreational matches. Mean distance covered during the 60 min matches was 6012±428 m. The players changed match activity 386±70 times, of which high-intensity runs and unorthodox movements amounted to 59±18 and 26±26 per match, respectively. The most frequent …

The Delaying Effect Of Stigma On Mental Health Help-Seeking In Sri Lanka, Sunera M. Fernando, Frank P. Deane, Hamish J. Mcleod

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Background: Mental health stigma has been associated with delays in seeking treatment. Aims: To describe perceived stigma experienced by patients and carers in Sri Lanka and to determine the effects of stigma on help-seeking delay. Methods: Survey of outpatients and family carers (n = 118 dyads) attending two psychiatric hospitals in Sri Lanka, using the Disclosure and Discrimination subscales of the Stigma Scale. Results: Stigma was positively related to help-seeking delay for carers but not patients. Public stigma experienced by carers accounted for 23% of the variance in help-seeking delay. Conclusion: Reducing stigma may reduce help-seeking delays during the course …

Significance And Novelty Effects In Single-Trial Erp Components And Autonomic Responses, Brett Macdonald, Robert J. Barry

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

2017 Elsevier B.V.The phasic orienting reflex (OR) was investigated in two counterbalanced blocks of an auditory dishabituation paradigm differing in stimulus Significance (operationalised as tone counting). Twelve tones were presented at very long, randomly-varying interstimulus intervals (ISIs). Novelty and Significance were varied within subjects. Stimulus-response patterns were assessed to find ERP matches for autonomic measures. The phasic OR index was represented by the skin conductance response (SCR). SCR decremented over 10 standard trials, showed recovery on trial 11 (change trial), enhancement to re-presentation of the standard tone (trial 12: dishabituation), and a main effect of Significance over the first 10 …

Serum Adiponectin Levels And Cardiorespiratory Fitness In Nonoverweight And Overweight Portuguese Adolescents: The Labmed Physical Activity Study, César Agostinis-Sobrinho, Carla Moreira, Sandra Abreu, Luis Lopes, José Oliveira-Santos, Jostein Steene-Johannessen, Jorge Mota, Rute Santos

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Purpose: This study examined the independent associations between cardiorespiratory fitness and circulating adiponectin concentration in adolescents, controlling for several potential covariates.

Methods: This is a cross-sectional study in Portuguese adolescents. A sample of 529 (267 girls) aged 12-18 years were included and categorized as overweight and nonoverweight. Cardiorespiratory fitness was assessed by 20 meters shuttle run test. We measured serum adiponectin, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein, fasting glucose, insulin and HDL-cholesterol.

Results: After adjustment for age, sex, pubertal stage, adherence to the Mediterranean diet, socioeconomic status, body fat percentage, insulin resistance, HDL-cholesterol and C-reactive protein, regression analysis showed a significant …

Unfree Radicals: Geoscientists, The Anthropocene, And Left Politics, Noel Castree

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Neil Smith's writings about capitalism and what we call "nature" were insightful and influential. This paper asks what Smith would make of the "radical turn" today occurring in the world of international geoscience. If we "think with" Smith, how should we view Naomi Klein's recent statement that geoscientists can act as fifth columnists calling the capitalist way of life into question? In the first half of the essay I address these questions. I summarise and apply the insights of Smith's writings to recent developments in international geoscience. Smith wrote about science in most of his published statements about capitalist ecology …