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Full-Text Articles in Social and Behavioral Sciences

Forensic Mental Health In Australia: Charting The Gaps, Natalia K. Hanley, Stuart Ross Jan 2013

Forensic Mental Health In Australia: Charting The Gaps, Natalia K. Hanley, Stuart Ross

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Process of national mental health reform fails to take adequate account of forensic mental health services - factors hampering national consistency in forensic mental health - need for national leadership - human rights implications.


Factors Underlying Cognitive Giftedness: Mental Versus Perceptual Attention, Steven J. Howard, Janice Johnson, Juan Pascual-Leone Jan 2013

Factors Underlying Cognitive Giftedness: Mental Versus Perceptual Attention, Steven J. Howard, Janice Johnson, Juan Pascual-Leone

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Children identified as cognitively gifted, in comparison with age-matched mainstream samples, are advantaged in numerous areas, including mathematics, speed and efficiency in cognitive processing, and resistance to interfering stimuli. Although working memory (WM) has been implicated as a factor mediating these advantages, evidence suggests that gifted children may not be advantaged in all aspects of WM function. We hypothesized that this difference is related to the contrast between mental (related to prefrontal dopamine circuits) and perceptual attention (likely related to prefrontal acetylcholine circuits). Specifically, it was expected that cognitively gifted children would excel in WM tasks taxing mental but not …


Mental Health Research Projects: A Practical Integration Of Mental Health Into A Medical Curriculum, Judy Mullan, K M. Weston, P L. Mclennan, W C. Rich, N B. Pani Jan 2013

Mental Health Research Projects: A Practical Integration Of Mental Health Into A Medical Curriculum, Judy Mullan, K M. Weston, P L. Mclennan, W C. Rich, N B. Pani

Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health - Papers: part A

Abstract of a paper presented at the 65th Annual National Conference of Indian Psychiatric Society, Bangalor, 10-13 Jan, 2013. Aims aJld Objectives: The University of Wollongong (UoW) graduate-entry medical course embeds research and critical analysis within the curriculum, concluding with students undertaking a regional/ nlrsl conmlUnity-based ro earch project. Students are encouraged to design a research project of interest to them and the local community. T.his Indy analyzed whether conducting research projects enhanced learning/understanding about rural/regional mental health issues amongst UoW medical students.


Facilitating Better Health Care For Mental Health Consumers: Complexities Of Establishing A Partnership Program, Christopher Patterson, Alex Gagan, Sarah Watson, Angela Douglas Jan 2013

Facilitating Better Health Care For Mental Health Consumers: Complexities Of Establishing A Partnership Program, Christopher Patterson, Alex Gagan, Sarah Watson, Angela Douglas

Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health - Papers: part A

Abstract of paper that presented at the Australian College of Mental Health Nursing 39th International Mental Health Nursing Conference, 22-24 October, 2013, Perth, Australia.


Facilitating Better Health Care For Mental Health Consumers Through Engagement: Complexities Of Establishing A Partnership Pilot Program Between Mental Health Professionals And University Exercise Physiology Students, Angela Douglas, Alex Gagan, Keirin Mccormack, Sarah Lisle Jan 2013

Facilitating Better Health Care For Mental Health Consumers Through Engagement: Complexities Of Establishing A Partnership Pilot Program Between Mental Health Professionals And University Exercise Physiology Students, Angela Douglas, Alex Gagan, Keirin Mccormack, Sarah Lisle

Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health - Papers: part A

Abstract of the oral presentation.


Is A Good Idea Enough?' Engaging Mental Health Professionals And University Of Wollongong Students To Facilitate Sustainable Change In Health Care For Mental Health Consumers, Angela Douglas, Alex Gagan, Keirin Mccormack, Sarah Lisle Jan 2013

Is A Good Idea Enough?' Engaging Mental Health Professionals And University Of Wollongong Students To Facilitate Sustainable Change In Health Care For Mental Health Consumers, Angela Douglas, Alex Gagan, Keirin Mccormack, Sarah Lisle

Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health - Papers: part A

Abstract of paper that presented at the 2013 Engagement Australia Conference, 15-17 July, Australian Catholic University, Melbourne.


Family And Carer Mental Health Program: Reflections On Gaps In Educational Needs (Poster), Megan Green, Kerry Dawes, Nagesh B. Pai Jan 2013

Family And Carer Mental Health Program: Reflections On Gaps In Educational Needs (Poster), Megan Green, Kerry Dawes, Nagesh B. Pai

Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health - Papers: part A

Abstract of poster presentatio presented at the ACHMN's 39th International Mental Health Nursing Conference Collaboration and Partnership in Mental Health Nursing, 22-24 October 2013, Pan Pacific Hotel, Perth, Western Australia.


Solution Based Teaching Methods In A Problem Based Curriculum: The Role Of A Mental Health Nurse In Addressing The Challenges Of Curriculum Delivery In A Regional Medical School, Kerry Dawes Jan 2013

Solution Based Teaching Methods In A Problem Based Curriculum: The Role Of A Mental Health Nurse In Addressing The Challenges Of Curriculum Delivery In A Regional Medical School, Kerry Dawes

Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health - Papers: part A

Abstract of poster presentatio presented at the ACHMN's 39th International Mental Health Nursing Conference Collaboration and Partnership in Mental Health Nursing, 22-24 October 2013, Pan Pacific Hotel, Perth, Western Australia.


A Pilot Study Of Mental Health And Quality-Of-Life Of Caregivers Of Children With Cleft Lip/Palate In India, Mahesh R. Gowda, Nagesh B. Pai, Shae-Leigh C. Vella Jan 2013

A Pilot Study Of Mental Health And Quality-Of-Life Of Caregivers Of Children With Cleft Lip/Palate In India, Mahesh R. Gowda, Nagesh B. Pai, Shae-Leigh C. Vella

Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health - Papers: part A

Background: There has been insufficient and contradictory research to date on the impacts of caring for a child with cleft lip/palate. Therefore this pilot study sought to investigate the mental health and quality of life of primary caregivers of children with cleft lip/palate. Materials and Methods: Seventy-nine primary caregivers of children with cleft lip/palate awaiting a surgical procedure in India completed questionnaires to measure their mental health, quality of life, and demographic variables. Results: The results indicated that half of the sample suffered from poor mental health and a reduced quality of life. Overall perceptions of quality of life were …


It's Time To Examine The Status Of Our Undergraduate Mental Health Curricula, Susan J. Thomas, Brahmavar N. Pai, Kerry Dawes Jan 2013

It's Time To Examine The Status Of Our Undergraduate Mental Health Curricula, Susan J. Thomas, Brahmavar N. Pai, Kerry Dawes

Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health - Papers: part A

To the Editor: Review of undergraduate mental health education is timely, given the growing disease burden of mental disorders and the need to better equip doctors for their central role in treatment. Curricula should prepare all doctors with competencies in recognising and treating mental health problems,1 because these occur frequently in patients across all branches of medicine, leading to poorer outcomes.2 Curricula should also prepare a minority of doctors for specialist psychiatry training.


Nutritional Modulation Of Cognitive Function And Mental Health, Natalie Parletta, Catherine M. Milte, Barbara J. Meyer Jan 2013

Nutritional Modulation Of Cognitive Function And Mental Health, Natalie Parletta, Catherine M. Milte, Barbara J. Meyer

Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health - Papers: part A

The important role of diet in cardiometabolic health is generally well recognised; for mental health, it is not so well understood. However, lifestyle risk factors for poor physical health are the same risk factors for mental illness, including poor diet. This is reflected by the high level of poor physical health in people with mental illness. Mediterranean, whole food diets have been associated with reduced risk for chronic disease, but very little research has investigated their mental health benefits. We provide a model for the pathways by which food components provided by a Mediterranean-style diet can facilitate healthy brain function. …


A Preliminary Exploration Of The Working Allliance And 'Real Relationship' In Two Coaching Approaches With Mental Health Workers, Belinda J. Sun, Frank Deane, Trevor Crowe, Retta Andresen, Lindsay G. Oades, Joseph Ciarrochi Jan 2013

A Preliminary Exploration Of The Working Allliance And 'Real Relationship' In Two Coaching Approaches With Mental Health Workers, Belinda J. Sun, Frank Deane, Trevor Crowe, Retta Andresen, Lindsay G. Oades, Joseph Ciarrochi

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Objectives: The coaching relationship has been described as the catalyst for change. This study explores the coaching relationship by comparing the working alliance and the 'real relationship'- the undistorted and authentic experience of the other- in participants in skills coaching and transformational coaching. Design: A 2 (coaching condition) x 2 (time) factorial design was used. Method: Staff from community psychiatric recovery services were trained in a new service delivery approach (Collaborative Recovery Model), followed by coaching from intemal coaches once per month to enhance implimentation of the training. All trained staff were invited to participate in the research. Forty coachees …


Service Based Internship Training To Prepare Workers To Support The Recovery Of People With Co-Occurring Substance Abuse And Mental Health Disorders, Trevor P. Crowe, Peter Kelly, James Pepper, Ross Mclennan, Frank P. Deane, Mark Buckingham Jan 2013

Service Based Internship Training To Prepare Workers To Support The Recovery Of People With Co-Occurring Substance Abuse And Mental Health Disorders, Trevor P. Crowe, Peter Kelly, James Pepper, Ross Mclennan, Frank P. Deane, Mark Buckingham

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

A repeated measures design was used to evaluate a 12 month on-site counsellor internship programme aimed at training staff to support the recovery needs of people with co-occurring substance use and mental health disorders. Fifty-four interns completed measures of recovery knowledge, attitudes, confidence/competence, as well as identifying significant learning events. Statistically significant improvements were found in terms of attitudes and confidence/competence, and only one recovery knowledge factor, 'roles of self-definition and peers in recovery'. Recovery knowledge at the end of the internship was positively associated with increases in interns' confidence/competence but was not associated with changes in the interns' attitudes. …


A Comparison Of Two Delivery Modalities Of A Mobile Phone-Based Assessment For Serious Mental Illness: Native Smartphone Application Vs Text-Messaging Only Implementations, John Ainsworth, Jasper E. Palmier-Claus, Matthew Machin, Christine Barrowclough, Graham Dunn, Anne Rogers, Iain Buchan, Emma Barkus, Shitij Kapur, Til Wykes, Richard S. Hopkins, Shon Lewis Jan 2013

A Comparison Of Two Delivery Modalities Of A Mobile Phone-Based Assessment For Serious Mental Illness: Native Smartphone Application Vs Text-Messaging Only Implementations, John Ainsworth, Jasper E. Palmier-Claus, Matthew Machin, Christine Barrowclough, Graham Dunn, Anne Rogers, Iain Buchan, Emma Barkus, Shitij Kapur, Til Wykes, Richard S. Hopkins, Shon Lewis

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Background: Mobile phone-based assessment may represent a cost-effective and clinically effective method of monitoring psychotic symptoms in real-time. There are several software options, including the use of native smartphone applications and text messages (short message service, SMS). Little is known about the strengths and limitations of these two approaches in monitoring symptoms in individuals with serious mental illness. Objective: The objective of this study was to compare two different delivery modalities of the same diagnostic assessment for individuals with non-affective psychosis-a native smartphone application employing a graphical, touch user interface against an SMS text-only implementation. The overall hypothesis of the …


Personality Change Predicts Self-Reported Mental And Physical Health, Christopher A. Magee, Patrick C. L Heaven, Leonie M. Miller Jan 2013

Personality Change Predicts Self-Reported Mental And Physical Health, Christopher A. Magee, Patrick C. L Heaven, Leonie M. Miller

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Objective Personality dimensions are known to predict mortality and other health outcomes, but almost no research has assessed the effects of changes in personality traits on physical and mental health outcomes. In this article, we examined the effects of changes in the Big Five personality dimensions on health as assessed by the Short Form Health Survey (SF-36). Method Respondents were 11,105 Australian adults aged 2079 years (52.7% female). Latent difference score modeling was used to examine whether personality change over a 4-year period was associated with mental and physical health, and whether these effects were moderated by birth cohort. Results …


Improving Implementation Of Evidence-Based Practice In Mental Health Service Delivery: Protocol For A Cluster Randomised Quasi-Experimental Investigation Of Staff-Focused Values Interventions, Virginia Williams, Lindsay G. Oades, Frank P. Deane, Trevor P. Crowe, Joseph Ciarrochi, Retta Andresen Jan 2013

Improving Implementation Of Evidence-Based Practice In Mental Health Service Delivery: Protocol For A Cluster Randomised Quasi-Experimental Investigation Of Staff-Focused Values Interventions, Virginia Williams, Lindsay G. Oades, Frank P. Deane, Trevor P. Crowe, Joseph Ciarrochi, Retta Andresen

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Background There is growing acceptance that optimal service provision for individuals with severe and recurrent mental illness requires a complementary focus on medical recovery (i.e., symptom management and general functioning) and personal recovery (i.e., having a 'life worth living'). Despite significant research attention and policy-level support, the translation of this vision of healthcare into changed workplace practice continues to elude. Over the past decade, evidence-based training interventions that seek to enhance the knowledge, attitudes, and skills of staff working in the mental health field have been implemented as a primary redress strategy. However, a large body of multi-disciplinary research indicates …


Development Of A Short Measure Of Psychological Recovery In Serious Mental Illness: The Stori-30, Retta Andresen, Peter Caputi, Lindsay Oades Jan 2013

Development Of A Short Measure Of Psychological Recovery In Serious Mental Illness: The Stori-30, Retta Andresen, Peter Caputi, Lindsay Oades

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Objective: To develop a brief measure of stage of psychological recovery from mental illness by identifying the best-performing items of the 50-item Stages of Recovery Instrument (STORI). Method: Item response modelling was used to identify a short form of the full-length STORI. The resulting items were subjected to factor analysis to further refine the subscales. A second data set was used to confirm the construct validity of the new measure. A correlational analysis was conducted to examine relationships among the five subscale scores. Results: Analyses identified 30 items that represented the five stages of the full STORI. The five stage …


Measurement Of Mental Attention: Assessing A Cognitive Component Underlying Performance On Standardized Intelligence Tests, Steven J. Howard, Janice Johnson, Juan Pascual-Leone Jan 2013

Measurement Of Mental Attention: Assessing A Cognitive Component Underlying Performance On Standardized Intelligence Tests, Steven J. Howard, Janice Johnson, Juan Pascual-Leone

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Despite the widespread use of standardized IQ tests to measure human intelligence, problems with such measures have led some to suggest that better indices may derive from measurement of cognitive processes underlying performance on IQ tests (e.g., working memory capacity). However, measures from both approaches may exhibit performance biases in favour of majority groups, due to the influence of prior learning and experience. Mental attentional (M-) capacity is proposed to be a causal factor underlying developmental growth in working memory. Measures of M-capacity index important cognitive variance underlying performance on standardized intelligence tests. These measures appear to be reasonably culture-fair …


Defining The Importance Of Mental Preparedness For Risk Communication And Residents Well-Prepared For Wildfire, Christine Eriksen, Timothy Prior Jan 2013

Defining The Importance Of Mental Preparedness For Risk Communication And Residents Well-Prepared For Wildfire, Christine Eriksen, Timothy Prior

Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health - Papers: part A

Building on a recognised information-to-action gap in wildfire risk communication, this paper examines what being physically and mentally 'well prepared' actually means to wildfire agency staff and volunteers in charge of disseminating risk information. Using the results of an open-ended survey conducted in southeast Australia, we examine how a set of preparedness messages is interpreted. The paper demonstrates that the concept of wildfire preparedness is ambiguous, and that being 'well prepared' is a complex mix of practical and mental preparedness measures. Many of the individual interpretations of preparedness messages are found to not align with the official outlined intent. In …


'There's Nothing Mental About Seeking Help' - Developing Materials To Support Help Seeking And Reduce Stigma Amongst University Students, Sandra C. Jones, Joanne Telenta, Kelly Lee Andrews, Michael Chapman Jan 2013

'There's Nothing Mental About Seeking Help' - Developing Materials To Support Help Seeking And Reduce Stigma Amongst University Students, Sandra C. Jones, Joanne Telenta, Kelly Lee Andrews, Michael Chapman

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Abstract of paper that was presented at 2013 Australia New Zealand Marketing Academy Conference.