Digital Commons Network^™

The Role Of Adaptive Goal Processes In Mental Wellbeing In Chronic Pain, Tara Swindells, Joanne Iddon, Joanne M. Dickson

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Chronic pain, experienced as pain persisting for three months or longer, is associated with risk of poor mental health and disability. Research has implicated adaptive goal processes as important to mental wellbeing in a range of populations. However, research has rarely assessed these mechanisms in relation to pain characteristics and mental wellbeing in chronic pain populations. This study aimed to examine the potentially mediating roles of goal flexibility and goal tenacity in the relationships between pain intensity and pain interference and mental wellbeing among individuals with chronic pain. Community members who self-identified as experiencing non-cancer chronic pain (N = 315) …

Climate Change, Extreme Events And Mental Health In The Pacific Region, Walter Leal Filho, Murukesan Krishnapillai, Aprajita Minhas, Sannia Ali, Gabriela Nagle Alverio, Medhat Sayed Hendy Ahmed, Roselyn Naidu, Ravinesh R. Prasad, Navjot Bhullar, Ayyoob Sharifi, Gustavo J. Nagy, Marina Kovaleva

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Purpose: This paper aims to address a gap in investigating specific impacts of climate change on mental health in the Pacific region, a region prone to extreme events. This paper reports on a study on the connections between climate change, public health, extreme weather and climate events (EWEs), livelihoods and mental health, focusing on the Pacific region Islands countries. Design/methodology/approach: This paper deploys two main methods. The first is a bibliometric analysis to understand the state of the literature. For example, the input data for term co-occurrence analysis using VOSviewer is bibliometric data of publications downloaded from Scopus. The second …

Editorial: Halal Production, Services, Consumption, And Consumer Behavior, Abdul Hafaz Ngah, T. Ramayah, Mohammad Iranmanesh, Suhaiza Zailani

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

The Muslim population is projected to reach 2.2 billion by the year 2030. The rapid growth of the Muslim population will positively impact the demand for halal products and services, as Muslims should only consume halal products. However, due to high quality and purity, Halal products and services were only limited to Muslims, but more recently the non-Muslims have also started to enjoy its benefits. As a result, a growing number of producers and manufacturers, including non-Muslim ones, have begun to produce Halal products and deliver Halal services. Previously, Halal was only related to food and beverages. Nowadays, the Halal …

Adaptive Goal Processes And Underlying Motives That Sustain Mental Wellbeing And New Year Exercise Resolutions, Joanne M. Dickson, Amelia Hart, Caitlin Fox-Harding, Christopher D. Huntley

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Exercise resolutions are the most common goals people set each New Year. However, research has rarely examined adaptive goal processes and motives that may maintain wellbeing and resolution pursuit. We therefore investigated if (1) personal goal flexibility and tenacity maintain mental wellbeing and adherence to New Year exercise resolutions and if (2) underlying intrinsic and extrinsic motives maintain wellbeing and sustained exercise resolution adherence. A community sample (N = 297) completed an online longitudinal study. At baseline, participants listed their most important exercise-related New Year resolution. Participants then completed measures to assess goal flexibility and tenacity, resolution motives, and mental …

Law Enforcement Recruit Health Database, Myles C. Murphy, Simone Radavelli-Bagatini, Garth Allen, Nicolas Hart, Andrea Mosler

Research Datasets

Our study established clear demographic, mental health/physical injury, and physical performance data to be collected in a law enforcement recruit training program for injury surveillance and performance monitoring. Furthermore, we identified several items that were classified as relevant, but unlikely to be reported truthfully. These items which can help inform current practice and assist clinicians to determine the trustfulness of information received by patients when working within law enforcement environments.

Determinants Of Social Loneliness And Its Association With Negative Coping Styles, Mark Facey

Research Datasets

The original study linked to this dataset argued that underlying antecedents of social loneliness maintain negative behaviour, whereby it becomes chronic and problematic. Four intrinsic antecedents of social loneliness are examined (Secure and Insecure Attachment, Emotional Regulation Problems – Expressive Suppression, Unclear Self-Concept, and Neuroticism) along with negative (Ignoring and Withdrawing) behavioural coping styles. Attachment type, Neuroticism, and to a lesser extent, Self-Concept Clarity, Expressive Suppression and Withdrawal coping styles may play an important role in averting or predicting Social Loneliness. Behaviourally, those who are higher in Social Loneliness, particularly young adult females, may adopt less Withdrawal coping styles once …

Communety: Deep Learning-Based Face Recognition System For The Prediction Of Cohesive Communities, Syed Afaq Ali Shah, Weifeng Deng, Muhammad Aamir Cheema, Abdul Bais

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Effective mining of social media, which consists of a large number of users is a challenging task. Traditional approaches rely on the analysis of text data related to users to accomplish this task. However, text data lacks significant information about the social users and their associated groups. In this paper, we propose CommuNety, a deep learning system for the prediction of cohesive networks using face images from photo albums. The proposed deep learning model consists of hierarchical CNN architecture to learn descriptive features related to each cohesive network. The paper also proposes a novel Face Co-occurrence Frequency algorithm to quantify …

Student Evaluation Of Teaching: Reactions Of Australian Academics To Anonymous Non-Constructive Student Commentary, Marie Hutchinson, Rosanne Coutts, Debbie Massey, Dima Nasrawi, Jann Fielden, Megan Lee, Richard Lakeman

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Within Australian higher education, student evaluation of teaching (SET) is regularly conducted and data are utilised for quality control and staff appraisal. Within current methodologies, students can anonymously provide further feedback as written commentary. There is now growing evidence that, once this narrative becomes derogatory or abusive, it may have the potential to create harm. To investigate staff reactions to receiving anonymous non-constructive commentary, a one group point in time design was constructed, and a survey conducted. Participants (N = 741) from a broad cross-section of Australian universities responded to Likert questions asking about their reactions. A significant impact was …

Assessing Children To Identify Developmental Coordination Disorder: A Survey Of Occupational Therapists In Australia, Jacqui Hunt, Jill Zwicker, Erin Godecke, Annette Raynor

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Background: Developmental coordination disorder (DCD), a prevalent neurodevelopmental disorder with motor and psychosocial consequences, can significantly impact children's quality of life. In Australia, most children with diagnosed/suspected DCD have received occupational therapy services, more so than any other health service. As such, occupational therapists are key in identification and treatment and require a sound knowledge of diagnostic criteria and the best evidence for practice. This study explored current occupational therapy services for children with DCD. Areas for development are identified to improve the identification of, and subsequent intervention for, children with DCD. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, an online survey …

Development And Validation Of The Montreal Cognitive Assessment For People With Hearing Impairment (Moca-H), Piers Dawes, David Reeves, Wai Kent Yeung, Fiona Holland, Anna Pavlina Charalambous, Mathieu Côté, Renaud David, Catherine Helmer, Robert Laforce, Ralph N. Martins, Antonis Politis, Annie Pye, Gregor Russell, Saima Sheikh, Marie-Josée Sirois, Hamid R. Sohrabi, Chyrssoula Thodi, Kathleen Gallant, Ziad Nasreddine, Iracema Leroi

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Background: Hearing impairment is common among older adults and affects cognitive assessments for identification of dementia which rely on good hearing function. We developed and validated a version of the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) for people with hearing impairment. Methods: We adapted existing MoCA 8.1 items for people with hearing impairment by presenting instructions and stimuli in written rather than spoken format. One Attention domain and two Language domain items required substitution by alternative items. Three and four candidate items respectively were constructed and field-tested along with the items adapted to written form. We used a combination of individual item …

Evaluation Of An Educational Program For People With Dementia And Their Caregivers, Beverly O'Connell, Manonita Ghosh, Melissa Dunham, Aisling Smyth

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Objectives: This study evaluated the impact of a 5-week educational and supportive program for people newly diagnosed with dementia and their caregivers. Methods: The study involved a pretest–posttest survey followed by interviews. Wilcoxon signed-rank test was conducted to determine postprogram changes. Kruskal–Wallis tests measured variation in responses between the people with dementia and their caregivers. Interviews were analysed using the NVivo software identifying themes against the program objectives of improving knowledge on dementia, coping strategies, communication and support services for people with dementia and their caregivers. Results: Fifty-three dyads (n = 106) completed the survey. There were significant improvements in …

Passionate And Psychologically-Undetached: A Moderated-Mediated Investigation Of Psychological Distress Among Engaged Employees, Jennifer Ann L. Lajom, Stephen Teo, Moises Kirk De Carvalho Filho, Alicia Stanway

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Guided by the effort-recovery model and the dualistic model of passion, we tested a conditional process model that examined the relationships between work engagement, workplace passion, psychological detachment, and psychological distress among Japanese professionals. We conducted an online panel survey across two time points, six weeks apart (N = 202 matched responses) where we measured all the variables at both instances. Findings show that engaged employees become susceptible to psychological distress due to decreased levels of psychological detachment. The moderating role of work passion was partially supported: being obsessively passionate towards work exacerbates this relationship further while contrary to expectations, …

Protective Indigenous Collective Value Of Ubuntu And Child Neglect: Implications For Rural Child Protection Practice, Alhassan Abdullah, Hajara Bentum, Margarita Frederico, Felix Mensah, Lucy P. Jordan, Clifton R. Emery

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Theories on collective efficacy and social support suggest that indigenous values that support collective practices and sanction community obligations to childcare would be protective against child neglect. Likewise, new qualitative findings show that collective values are stronger in rural areas than in urban. This study tested the claims that the value of Ubuntu, which is a symbolic cultural value of ‘being for others’, will be protective against the likelihood of neglect; this relationship will be stronger in rural compared with urban communities in Ghana. Using data obtained from a nationally representative sample of 1100 mothers (from 22 communities) in Ghana, …

The Negative Relationships Between Employee Resilience And Ambiguity, Complexity, And Inter-Agency Collaboration, Geoff Plimmer, Joana Kuntz, Evan Berman, Sanna Malinen, Katharina Näswall, Esme Franken

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Employee resilience (ER) is often needed to face demands inherent in public sector work. Some types of demands, however, may hinder its development, rather than provide the type of challenging adversity from which resilience can develop. Public sector job demands have been a long-standing issue for public workplaces and employees but are also growing in salience as organisations face an increasingly variable, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous environment. Drawing on the Job Demands–Resources model and the challenge/hindrance stress literature, this multi-level study of Aotearoa New Zealand civil servants (n = 11,533) in 65 public sector organisations shows that ER is negatively …

Support For Climate-Driven Migration In Australia: Testing An Ideology-Based Threat Model, Samantha K. Stanley, Zoe Leviston, Caroline Ng Tseung-Wong

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

We examine Australians’ preferences for resettling people displaced by climate change from overseas (‘climate refugees’), from within Australia (‘internal climate refugees’), and people displaced by war. Across three studies (Study 1N = 467, Study 2N = 1679, Study 3N = 492), our findings reveal greater support for resettling refugee groups already residing in the nation: internal climate refugees and refugees of war. Although support for all three groups was reasonably high, participants were consistently and significantly less supportive of resettling international climate refugees. Both groups of international refugees (relocating due to war or climate changes) were viewed as posing greater …

“They Are Dealing With People’S Lives…”: Diagnostic And Post-Diagnostic Healthcare Experiences In Primary Progressive Aphasia, Tisha Ho, Anne Whitworth, Deborah Hersh, Jade Cartwright

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Purpose: The healthcare experience is a multifaceted and varied process, particularly for people living with complex conditions such as primary progressive aphasia (PPA). Different experiences influence pathways through the health system, impacting client outcomes. To our knowledge, no previous studies have directly explored the healthcare experiences of people with PPA and their families. This study aimed to explore the experiences of people living with PPA from the perspective of both the person with PPA and their families during diagnostic and post-diagnostic phases, and to identify factors influencing service access and perceptions of quality of care. Method: The study followed an …

Physical Education And Covid-19: What Have We Learned?, Valeria Varea, Ana Riccetti, Gustavo González-Calvo, Marcela Siracusa, Alfonso García-Monge

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

The aim of this paper is to explore what we have learned during the COVID-19 pandemic in the field of Physical Education in three different countries: Argentina, Spain and Sweden. Data were generated through semi-structured interviews, and the concept of field agency is used to make sense of the data. Differences were found among the three countries, regarding the content of the classes, the use of resources, the emotions of teachers, and the use of physical contact. This was also a result of the regulations and resources in place. The COVID-19 pandemic has demonstrated that the nature of the field …

The Impact And Management Of Mis/Disinformation At University Libraries In Australia, Nicole Johnston

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Mis/disinformation has in recent political and health climates become increasingly spread through social media and the internet, drawing increased discussion on the role libraries play in countering and combating the spread of mis/disinformation. This study investigated the impact and management of mis/disinformation at university libraries in Australia through a survey of 88 library staff and interviews with 17 managers. Library staff believe they have a role in teaching skills such as critical thinking and evaluation, advocating in this space and maintaining credible, balanced and inclusive collections. Although combating mis/disinformation is a strategic priority for libraries, it is often not a …

Talent Management And Sustainable Performance In Travel Agents: Do Green Intellectual Capital And Green Servant Leadership Matter?, Yehia Shihata Elzek, Mohammad Soliman, Hafidh Al Riyami, Noel Scott

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Talent management (TM) can contribute to improving sustainable business performance in the face of a competitive and socially responsible environment. The use of TM to improve tourism staff skills and motivation is contentious, given such jobs are seen as routine and low-paid. Indeed, the precise processes through which TM techniques support sustained performance outcomes in tourism enterprises requires examination. This paper provides empirical evidence for the impact of TM practices on sustainable organizational performance (SOP). This effect of TM on performance is mediated by green intellectual capital (GIC). The moderating role of green servant leadership (GSL) on the link between …

The Relevance Of Knowledge, Perception, And Factors That Influence Contraceptive Use Among Married Women Living In Uaddara Barracks, Ghana, Daisy Afra Lumor, Christian Obirikorang, Emmanuel Acheampong, Yaa Obirikorang, Hubert Owusu, Sam Newton

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Background: Contraceptive use has many advantages for personal growth and societal advancement, but there is still the problem of unmet needs for women, which highlights the gap between women's reproductive intentions and contraceptive use. This study investigated knowledge, perceptions, and factors that influence contraceptive use among married women living in a military base in Ghana. Methods: This cross-sectional study involved 350 married women between the ages of 20 and 58 years at the Uaddara Barracks, Kumasi. A structured questionnaire was used to collect information on the background, knowledge, perceptions on contraceptive use, and contraceptive methods used by participants. Data was …

Employability For Inclusion: The Urgent Need For A Biopsychosocial Model Perspective, Mollie Dollinger, Tim Corcoran, Denise Jackson, Sarah O'Shea

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Definitions of disability are changing, shifting from a narrow medical diagnosis to a biopsychosocial model of disability, where disability is conceptualised as a series of relational conditions that can potentially disadvantage individuals within environments. Implications of this new understanding of disability will have significant effects in the higher education sector, where there is increasing participation of disabled students. In this paper, we discuss one aspect of these implications through the topic of graduate employability. In doing so, we generate a new concept ‘Employability for Inclusion’ that can be utilised as an equity-focused lens for universities to consider how employability initiatives …

Perceived Destination Image Cohesion: A Comparison Study Of Attractions On The Grand Canal, China, Shan Jiang, Noel Scott, Li Tao, Shiqi Xiong, Yuan Qin

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

The Grand Canal is located in the north-eastern and central-eastern plains of China, running from Beijing in the north to Zhejiang province in the south, and is the longest canal in the world (1800 km) and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. From a tourism perspective, the Grand Canal can be considered as a linear heritage attraction linking many individual heritage sites. This research was conducted with a mixed qualitative–quantitative method in the 2021–2022 period. First, in-depth interviews with an unstructured methodology of image measurements were conducted to determine attributes of the perceived destination image (PDI) of the Grand Canal as …

Local Community Capacity Building: Exploring Non-Governmental Organizations Approaches In Tamil Nadu, Sten Langmann, Pieter-Jan Bezemer, David Pick

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Locally based non-governmental organizations (NGOs) play an important role in community capacity building (CCB). Because these NGOs are generally located close to the affected communities, they have the local knowledge to identify problems and assist the affected communities to address them. However, the methods these local NGOs use to build capacity in the local communities and the reasons they choose certain CCB approaches are not well known. To enhance the knowledge in these areas, this study conducted semistructured interviews with local NGOs and local NGO experts in Tamil Nadu, India. It was found that local NGOs build capacity in communities …

On The Path To Decolonizing Health Care Services: The Role Of Marketing, Reece George, Steven D'Alessandro, Mehmet I. Mehmet, Mona Nikidehaghani, Michelle M. Evans, Guarangi Laud, Deirdre Tedmanson

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Despite considerable investment, health outcomes for First Nations people are well below those of the rest of the population in several countries, including Canada, the United States, and Australia. In this article, the authors draw on actor-network theory and the case of Birthing on Country, a successful policy initiative led by First Nations Australians, to explore the decolonization of health services. Using publicly available archival data and the theoretical guidance of actor-network theory, the analysis offers insight into how marketing techniques and technologies can be deployed to achieve improved health outcomes and implement decolonized approaches. The insights provided have theoretical …

‘Keep The Music Going’: How The Isolation Tour 2020 Maintained Community And Cultural Connectedness During The 2020 Covid-19 Lockdown In Western Australia, Brigitta Scarfe, Amy Budrikis, Clint Bracknell

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

The COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent social isolation measures had a profound impact on communities worldwide. In regional and remote Western Australia, the use of online platforms has become increasingly important for maintaining social and emotional well-being. This article examines the role of ‘The Isolation Tour 2020’ Facebook page in providing a lifeline for its mostly Aboriginal audience to stay connected with culture, Country, and one another during the 2020 COVID-19 lockdown in Western Australia. The authors conducted an in-depth interview with one of the administrators of the page and supplemented this with a thematic analysis of publicly available Facebook data. …

Explaining Organisational Business Process Adoption Mechanisms - A Critical Realist Perspective On Social Reflexivity And Process Affordances, Andreas Brönnimann

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

The implementation of new business processes can be problematic for organisations. Employees tend towards reluctant behaviour when confronted with organisational change that requires adoption of new workflows and work tasks. The crucial importance of people affected by change has been highlighted in past research. While the adoption of new processes is beneficial to the organisation, deviations from or rejections of new processes can lead to increased risks, missed process goals, increased waste leading to lost revenue, and other unforeseeable outcomes.

However, the adoption of proposed processes by individuals only is less desirable, because the collective nature of processes requires choreographed …

Psycho-Spiritual Counselling To Enhance Resiliency As Transformative Education: An Auto/Ethnographic Inquiry Of The Interface Between Spirituality And Positive Psychology, Dominic Savio

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

This thesis attempts to capture my lived experiences of psychospiritual counselling and to describe how my research journey has shaped me personally and professionally. As a priest engaged in psychospiritual counselling internationally for nearly three decades in diverse settings, I attempt to seek further clarity and make sense of my rich experiences in this research. Therefore, I endeavoured to investigate if and how building resiliency through psychospiritual counselling can be comprehended as transformative education.

Experientially speaking, as a priest and psychospiritual counsellor, I recognised that people leaned on their moral vulnerabilities and were blinded to spirituality as a source of …

Comparing Western Australia And South Australia Public High School’S Cyberbullying Policies – Is There A Need For A Legislative Change, Vanessa Tay

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

The internet provides some of the most effective means of communication. Cyberbullying occurs when the internet is used to bully another person. Along with the positive aspects of the internet, cyberbullying is certainly one of the most negative aspects, especially with regard to school students. Victims of cyberbullying may be able to obtain legal sanctions, however, this usually occurs after the harm is done. In Australia, some states such as South Australia have recognised the need for preventive strategies by requiring schools to have an anti-bullying plan in place. Other countries, like Ontario, Canada have implemented similar preventative strategies in …

The Benefits To Bone Health In Children And Pre-School Children With Additional Exercise Interventions: A Systematic Review And Meta-Analysis, Callum Mccaskie, Aris Siafarikas, Jodie Cochrane Wilkie, Vanessa Sutton, Paola Chivers, Nicolas H. Hart, Myles C. Murphy

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Objective: Determine if exercise interventions, beyond what is already provided to children and preschool children, improve bone health and reduce fracture incidence. Design: Systematic review and meta-analysis reported using the PRISMA guidelines. Certainty of evidence was assessed using GRADE recommendations. Data sources: Five electronic databases were searched for records: PUBMED; CINAHL; CENTRAL; SPORTDiscus; Web of Science. Eligibility criteria for selecting studies: Randomised, quasi-randomised and non-randomised controlled trials (including cluster-randomised) assessing the impact of additional exercise interventions (e.g., increased physical education classes or specific jumping programs) on bone health in children (6 – 12 years) and pre-school children (2 – 5 …

Authentic Leadership And Psychological Well-Being Of Nurses: A Mediated Moderation Model, Stephen Teo, Andrei Lux, David Pick

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Aims. This study investigates how authentic leadership influences the psychological well-being of Australian nurses. We examined whether authentic leadership could reduce the prevalence of workplace incivility and tested whether shared values and person-organization (P-O) fit could moderate the relationship between workplace incivility and psychological well-being (PWB). A mediated moderation model underpinned by social learning theory was developed to test the influence of authentic leadership on PWB.

Design. We adopted a descriptive correlational research design to test the hypothesized model with a cross-sectional sample of Australian nurses using an online survey. Data were collected across two-waves separated by a …