Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Factors Associated With Anxiety, Depression, Burnout, And Ptsd In Australian Paramedics, Timothy Rankin

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Background

Paramedics are at higher risk of anxiety, depression, burnout, and PTSD compared to the general population. Factors that have been associated with mental disorders include occupational stress, fatigue, sleep quality, chronic pain, physical activity, perceived social support, and overall quality of life. To date only a few of these factors have been investigated simultaneously in Australian paramedics.

Aim

This study aimed to investigate occupational stress, fatigue, sleep quality, chronic pain, physical activity, perceived social support, and overall quality of life, and their associations with anxiety, depression, burnout and PTSD in Australian paramedics.

Methods

Sixty-three paramedics, working for ambulance services …

Holistic Health: Shaping Women’S Experiences Of Positive Body Image, Helen Elizabeth Monks

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

This PhD thesis seeks to contribute to a nuanced understanding of positive body image and how it is expressed among a group of women participating in holistic health culture in a modern Western society. Qualitative data were collected from in-depth ethnographic interviews with 25 women in Perth, Western Australia, to illuminate an understanding of their holistic health beliefs and practices, perceptions of appearance and health ideals, as well as their understandings of positive body image. Thematic analysis of the data through Nvivo revealed several overarching themes, demonstrating how certain aspects of holistic health culture may encourage or dissuade the development …

A Resiliency Perspective Of The Lived Experience Of Parenting Infants And Young Children With Cystic Fibrosis In The Context Of Early Lung Disease Surveillance, Cindy Branch-Smith

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Scientific and technological advances over the past few decades have contributed to an exponential increase in life expectancy for infants born with cystic fibrosis (CF), which can cause fatal lung disease. There has been a paradigmatic shift from reactive treatment towards early disease detection and aggressive intervention of paediatric CF. Previous research has investigated parents’ experiences of the diagnosis phase and later life stages such as adolescence and transition to adulthood. Less is understood about the experience of parenting infants and young children with CF, and no research addresses this during early surveillance for CF lung disease. Early surveillance is …

Perceived Harms And Benefits Of Parental Cannabis Use, And Parents’ Reports Regarding Harm-Reduction Strategies, Kathleen J. Donoghue

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

This research focussed on families in which at least one parent was a long-term cannabis user; I explored family members’ perceptions of the benefits and harms of cannabis use and the strategies parents used to minimise cannabis-related harm to themselves and their children. In depth, semi-structured interviews were undertaken with 43 individuals from 13 families, producing a series of family case studies that enabled examination of multiple perspectives within each family. In Study 1, I used an interpretive framework guided by Miles and Huberman’s (1994) thematic content analysis technique to analyse interview data, while study 2 yielded detailed descriptive vignettes …

Examining The Appeal And Ascribed Meanings Of Complementary And Alternative Medicine (Cam) Use By Males: An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis, Kathryn V. Hogan

Theses : Honours

Men are commonly and consistently underrepresented in global depression rates, however figure predominantly in rates for substance abuse and suicide. It has been suggested that men’s under-utilisation of mental health services accounts for the discrepancy between the genders and that hegemonic masculine stereotypes have created a barrier for males in seeking help for mood disorders. The use of Complementary and Alternative Medicines (CAM) has been expanding globally, with research showing in some instances of self-diagnosed depression and anxiety, CAM is being utilised more often than mainstream health care services. The present study explored the personal meanings of males who currently …

A Review Of The Relationships Between Mindfulness, Stress, Coping Styles And Substance Use Among University Students, Chris Thomas

Theses : Honours

Adaptive coping and self-regulation are critical for students' academic and professional development. Mindfulness meditation and mindfulness based programs present a promising option for those wishing to reduce stress and anxiety levels, improve self-regulation and coping strategies and or reduce the need for substance use. This paper sought to review the literature concerning the relationship mindfulness has with stress, coping styles and substance use in student populations. Proposed models and mechanisms of mindfulness are initially considered and reperceiving is identified as a prime mechanism through which mindfulness operates. Studies concerning stress reduction in student populations through mindfulness based programs are considered …

An Examination Of The Relationship Between Positive Psychological Functioning And Depression, John Forbes

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

With unipolar depression one of the most disabling illnesses in the world, it is important to appropriately conceptualise this disorder in order to inform research, diagnosis, and treatment. While many psychological theories of depression include constructs of polarity, most research and diagnostic criteria have focused on a single dimension that concentrates on the presence of negative symptomatology. This is reflective of an illness model of mental health that predominantly considers the presence of negative symptoms in terms of mood, cognitions, behaviours, and overall functioning. Nevertheless, there is strong research evidence indicating that positive and negative aspects of psychological functioning are …

Gender And Apologies: Exploring Offended Females' Perceptions Of Apologies From Males And Females, Stacey Bennet

Theses : Honours

The construct of apology has recently received more attention by researchers (Allan, 2007) and several factors that may influence apologetic responses have been identified. The gender of an offender is one such factor. A review was undertaken to examine the literature pertaining to the influence of the gender of an offender on apologies. As a result of the review, several themes were identified. These included gender differences and similarities in the frequency of apologies, the quantity and complexity of components, and the actual content of those components. Furthermore, contextual factors that may play a role in the influence of gender …

The Prediction Of Antenatal And Postnatal Depression In A Sample Of Western Australian Women, Debbie A. Lien

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

In Australia, the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS; Cox, Holden & Sagovsky, 1987) has been increasingly used to screen for antenatal depression prior to its evaluation on a sample of Australian pregnant women. Also, the identification of predictors associated with antenatal depression has been neglected relative to the research focus on postpartum depression. An aim of the study was to evaluate the antenatal screening properties of the EPDS against diagnoses of major depression with the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI; Sheehan eta!., 1998). The aims were also to develop predictive models of risk factors associated with antenatal depression as measured …

Alcohol And Drug Related Offences: Determining Predictive Factors For Reducing Re-Offending, Rachel Bennett

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

The association between dependent drug use and criminal behaviour is well known. This coupled with evidence about the efficacy of treatment in addressing drug use has led many jurisdictions to incorporate treatment interventions into their criminal justice systems. The aim of these interventions that use the law as a therapeutic agent (known as ‘therapeutic jurisprudence') is to reduce by mandating drug dependent offenders into treatment, future offending. However, within the treatment effectiveness literature there is also evidence of individuals resolving their drug use problems without engagement in treatment. The term ‘natural recovery’ has been used to describe this phenomenon. Research …

Big Boys Don't Cry : Understanding Barriers To Seeking Support For Mental Health Problems Among Adolescent Males, Amanda Miraudo

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

This study explored the possible barriers encountered by adolescents in developing and achieving positive mental health. Male adolescents in Perth, Western Australia were consulted in an attempt to provide insight into the motivating and inhibiting factors influencing help-seeking as a coping strategy. Barriers to seeking help for mental health problems were investigated through the inductive process of grounded theory (Glaser & Strauss, 1967) to obtain a more detailed understanding of help-seeking than previous studies have provided; The study found that the coping responses most frequently enacted by the adolescent males sampled included avoidance, diversion, and private resolution. Help-seeking was far …

Aims, Separation And Attitudinal Factors In Mediation: An Exploratory Investigation, Darryl Frank Menaglio

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

The general aim of this research was to explore issues regarding mediation in family law about which there appears to be uncertainty. Study I investigated: (a) what stakeholders (practitioners and separated spouses) believe the aims of mediation should be; (b) what they believe are the effects of the separation factors, that is, perceived mutuality (whether the decision to separate was made by one or both spouses), perceived status (whether spouses view themselves as Ieavers, lefts or neither), and the attribution and strength of blaming someone for the decision to separate on attitudes towards engaging in mediation; and (c) stakeholders' views …

The Context Of Recovery: Individual Experiences Of Recovery From Work-Related Trauma, Sally Edmondson

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

In this study the recovery experiences of individuals with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) due to a work-related trauma was investigated. The aim of the study was to explore individual experiences within an ecological framework in order to develop a clearer understanding of the significance of contextual factors. The study utilised a multiple case methodology and data was analysed using the qualitative method of focused conceptual development. Participants were four males and one female ranging in age from 37 to 57 years and two female key informants who had four and seven years of experience of working with stress claims in …

Early Attachment And Eating Disorders: A Comparative Study Between Anorexia Nervosa And Bulimia Nervosa, Francoise Ringer

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

The purpose of this research was to study the association between adult mental representations of curly attachment relationships and eating disorders, and to compare attachment classifications between anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa. The sample consisted of 62 women with eating disorders, divided between anorexia nervosa [restricting type (n=20) and binge-eating/purging type (n=l6)], and bulimia nervosa (n=26). The measures were (a) a structured interview based on the ''Diagnostic Survey for Eating Disorders" (Johnson and Connors, 1987) and the DSM IV criteria for the classification of eating disorders, and (b) the Adult Attachment Interview (AAI) (George, Kaplan and Main, 1985). The AAI …

Self-Esteem: The Influence Of Parenting Styles, Jean Wolff

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

This study examines parent/child relationships and their possible influence on self-esteem. The parenting styles: authoritative, authoritarian, permissive and unmatched, are assessed (by child report) and compared to levels of global and specific domains of self-esteem to determine whether parenting style influences self-esteem in children. Eighty-four children aged 11-12 years of age; male and female were asked to complete three questionnaires. The questionnaires were: Child Report of Parental Behaviour Inventory (Schluderman & Schluderman, 1970) to ascertain their parent's parenting style; Harter's (1985), Self-Perception Profile for Children (SPPC), to measure the child's self-esteem and a demographic questionnaire. ANOVA and ANCOVA were used …

The Relationship Between Symptoms Of Perceived Trauma And Verbal Learning And Memory Deficits, Santina Tonizzo

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Recent empirical studies on individuals with Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) report an association between PTSD and deficits in short-term verbal memory. While the previous studies utilised a global score of PTSD, the present study assessed the association of individual symptoms as a result of perceived traumatic events with verbal learning and memory deficits. In addition, the severity of the traumatic events was examined as well as gender, age, IQ, education and previous alcohol abuse and drug use. A sample of 148 adults reported to have experienced a traumatic event such as sexual or physical abuse ns children. war veterans, or …

The Effects Of Suicide Intent And History Of Self-Harm On Emotional Reactions And Willingness To Help, Paul A. Buttigieg

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

The present study was a preliminary investigation of factors that affect potential helpers' emotional responses, perceptions and willingness to help when confronted with information about a hypothetical friend who overdoses. One hundred and forty-two undergraduate students attending Edith Cowan University (Joondalup Campus) were randomly assigned to one of six conditions and read two vignettes. In the first vignette, information was provided of a hypothetical female friend's overdose. The second vignette included information about the overdose that either supported or contradicted information in the first vignette regarding the woman's history of self-harm. Participants then completed a questionnaire designed to measure their …

The Development And Preliminary Evaluation Of A Self-Administered Screening Instrument For First Rank Symptoms And Basic Symptoms In Psychotic And Non Psychotic Disorders, Borghild Bo

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

The assessment of psychopathology is fundamental to clinical psychiatry. Schneider's (1959) First Rank Symptoms (FRS) are an integral part of numerous diagnostic criteria and Huber's Basic Symptoms (BS) are thought to form the basis of the FRS (Huber & Gross, 1989). The aim of the current study was to develop and evaluate a self-administered screening instrument to detect FRS and BS in clinical populations. A three stage design was used to achieve this. Stage one included the development of items and stage two was concerned with item analysis. Stage three comprised a pilot study in which a number of hypotheses …

Validation Of The Barkemeyer-Callon-Jones Malingering Detection Scale: The Ability Of A Scale Differentiate Simulating Malingers From Controls And Prior Litigants From Those With No Litigation Experience Within A Sample Of Men Who Have All Suffered Chronic Low Back Pain, David Curnow

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Chronic low back pain costs the community, and several authors have suggested that individuals often attempt to exaggerate chronic low back pain. Currently no reliable and valid scale for assessing malingering in chronic pain populations exists, and there is a large difference in opinion on the ability of experts using clinical judgment to detect malingering. The current study seeks to provide a validation for the BarkemeyerCallon-Jones Malingering Detection Scale (MDS) which has purported to be able to identify individuals attempting to malinger neurological conditions and pain. A simulation design was used, as in previous research, because it is difficult to …

Fitness To Stand Trial In Australia: The Investigation And Comparison Of Clinical Opinion And Legal Criteria, Miranda P. Hogg

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

The extent to which Australian psychologists and psychiatrists are cognisant of the legal standard for Fitness to Stand Trial (FST) was investigated. 198 psychologists from The Australian Psychological Society (APS), and 125 psychiatrists from The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists (RANZCP) responded to a survey. Psychiatrists identified a greater number of legal criteria than psychologists. This finding extended across clinicians who had experience in the evaluation of fitness to stand trial and those who did not. No difference was found between psychologists and psychiatrists for mentioning irrelevant or insufficient considerations. However, a within-group analysis revealed that the …

Home Visiting: The Effect Of A Hospital Based Nurse Home Visiting Programme On The Rehabilitation Of Children Following Their Discharge From A Child Psychiatry Inpatient Unit, Gordon H. Peers

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of a nurse home visiting programme on the rehabilitation of children following their discharge from a dedicated child psychiatry hospital. The research was based on the premise that a nurse home visiting programme may have a positive influence on the outcomes of the rehabilitation of children following their discharge from hospital, if it reduced the need of outpatient appointments with the psychiatrist and the need for children to be re-admitted to hospital.

Life At A Rural Psychiatric Hostel : The Experience Of A Group Of Male Residents, Rosalie R. Van Aken

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

The study reported in this thesis describes and analyses the experience of 15 men with long term mental illness, living and/or working at a rural farm and hostel complex. The research was set in the context of recent studies and literature focussing on the transfer of care of people with mental illness from large psychiatric hospitals to community based care and the consequent quality of life issues. A phenomenological approach was chosen as the most appropriate for the study, in order to understand the meaning of the residents' experience. Data was obtained from three sources: in-depth interviews with 2 key …

Place-Identity And Homelessness : The Restorative Nature Of The Home, Marie Sadkowski

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

This research aims to address deficiencies in the Place-Identity literature and establish whether the home is a central and mediating environment within this theory. An exploration of the association between homelessness and Place-Identity provides a vehicle for clarifying the psychological role of the home and in doing so an increased awareness of this social problem is promoted. Korpela's (1989) and Kaplan's (1983) theories on place, accentuating active self-regulatory mechanisms and restorative environments, act as a catalyst and provide a solid foundation for this current research. The extensive literature on the home highlights the different conceptions that abound and the lack …