Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons

Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

Articles 1 - 6 of 6

Full-Text Articles in Social and Behavioral Sciences

Enhancing Patient Adherence: Outcomes Of Medication Alliance Training On Therapeutic Alliance, Insight, Adherence, And Psychopathology With Mental Health Patients, Mitchell Byrne, Frank Deane Nov 2012

Enhancing Patient Adherence: Outcomes Of Medication Alliance Training On Therapeutic Alliance, Insight, Adherence, And Psychopathology With Mental Health Patients, Mitchell Byrne, Frank Deane

Mitchell K Byrne

The results of interventions to enhance patient adherence to medication have been inconsistent. This research investigated the utility of an enhanced adherence training programme to ascertain its effectiveness and the possible mechanisms of that effect. Forty-six clinicians were trained in 'medication alliance', and data were collected from 51 patients matched to the clinician. Data on clinician changes in skills, knowledge, and attitudes, in relation to enhancing patient adherence and patient changes in adherence, insight, and psychopathology were collected at baseline and at 6 and 12 months. The quality of the therapeutic relationship between the clinician and the patient was also …


Nurse's Beliefs And Knowledge About Medications Are Associated With Their Difficulties Using Patient Treatment Adherence Strategies, Mitchell Byrne, Frank Deane, Tim Coombs Nov 2012

Nurse's Beliefs And Knowledge About Medications Are Associated With Their Difficulties Using Patient Treatment Adherence Strategies, Mitchell Byrne, Frank Deane, Tim Coombs

Mitchell K Byrne

Background: The attitudes and beliefs of patients toward their treatment have been found to be an important factor in treatment outcome, particularly as it relates to treatment adherence. There are also suggestions that knowledge, attitudes and beliefs held by nurses about treatments may also be important influences on treatment outcome but there has been little research relating these to specific clinical behaviour. Aims: This study explored the knowledge and beliefs of nurses toward neuroleptic medications in the treatment of severe mental ill health with the view to identifying specific nurse training needs. Method: A convenience sample of 64 nurses was …


Can Volunteer Counsellors Help Prevent Psychological Trauma? A Preliminary Communication On Volunteers Skills Using The 'Orienting Approach' To Trauma, Mitchell Byrne, Frank Deane, Andrew Phipps Nov 2012

Can Volunteer Counsellors Help Prevent Psychological Trauma? A Preliminary Communication On Volunteers Skills Using The 'Orienting Approach' To Trauma, Mitchell Byrne, Frank Deane, Andrew Phipps

Mitchell K Byrne

The capacity of 73 volunteer telephone counsellors to administer a brief and early intervention for secondary trauma was assessed. The counsellors participated in a 1-day training programme in the ‘Orienting Approach’ to Trauma Counselling (Phipps & Byrne, 2003). Volunteer counsellors showed significant improvements in both knowledge and skills from pre- to post-training. The potential benefits of this intervention to the community and professional health services are discussed.


Enhancing Medication Adherence: Clinician Outcomes From The Medication Alliance Training Program, Mitchell Byrne, Frank Deane, William Lambert, Timothy Coombs Nov 2012

Enhancing Medication Adherence: Clinician Outcomes From The Medication Alliance Training Program, Mitchell Byrne, Frank Deane, William Lambert, Timothy Coombs

Mitchell K Byrne

OBJECTIVE: Patient nonadherence to psychiatric medication is a key cause of relapse but clinicians do not appear to possess specific adherence skills. We sought to demonstrate that a brief training program on medication adherence strategies could improve the adherence skills, attitudes and knowledge of mental health clinicians. METHODS: Twenty-three Tasmanian mental health workers were provided a 3 day training workshop on strategies to enhance patient adherence to medications (Medication Alliance). Pre- and post-training measures were taken of clinician knowledge about adherence strategies, ability to identify predictors of nonadherence, attitudes toward working with nonadherent patients, and optimism about treatment outcomes for …


Mental Health Clinicians' Beliefs About Medicines, Attitudes, And Expectations Of Improved Medication Adherence In Patients, Mitchell Byrne, Peter Caputi, Frank Deane Nov 2012

Mental Health Clinicians' Beliefs About Medicines, Attitudes, And Expectations Of Improved Medication Adherence In Patients, Mitchell Byrne, Peter Caputi, Frank Deane

Mitchell K Byrne

Nonadherence to antipsychotic medications remains a major factor in poor clinical outcomes. This study sought to identify clinician beliefs about patients who do not adhere to treatment, the clinicians' own beliefs about medicines, and the impact of beliefs on efforts to enhance patient adherence. In total, 292 clinicians responded to an anonymous questionnaire that included questions about their beliefs and their efforts to enhance adherence. Results indicated that clinicians' beliefs about their own adequacy to enhance adherence significantly predicted actual efforts to enhance adherence. Both pessimism about outcomes and empathy for the patient predicted outcome expectancy. It was concluded that …


Undergraduate Psychology Training And Workplace Needs: Student Perspectives On The Extent To Which Their Education Prepares Them For Their Chosen Career, G Stoyles, P Caputi, M Byrne, T Crowe May 2012

Undergraduate Psychology Training And Workplace Needs: Student Perspectives On The Extent To Which Their Education Prepares Them For Their Chosen Career, G Stoyles, P Caputi, M Byrne, T Crowe

Mitchell K Byrne

The current study surveyed 195 first to fourth year psychology students at a regional university in New South Wales about the amount of applied content in undergraduate psychology training and post-graduate opportunities for employment as a psychologist. Eighty-nine percent of students believed that the level of applied psychological training was either nonexistent or inadequate, and therefore did not equip them for finding work as a psychologist. Ninety-six percent of students who wished to become intern psychologists believed that opportunities for working as intern generalist psychologists were either non-existent or insufficient. Concerns around employment and registration opportunities reflected this group’s disillusionment …