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Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons

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Depression

2012

Selected Works

Counseling Psychology

Articles 1 - 4 of 4

Full-Text Articles in Social and Behavioral Sciences

Gender Differences In Factor Scores Of Anxiety And Depression Among Australian University Students: Implications For Counselling Interventions, Vicki Bitsika, Christopher Sharpley, Therese Melhem Sep 2012

Gender Differences In Factor Scores Of Anxiety And Depression Among Australian University Students: Implications For Counselling Interventions, Vicki Bitsika, Christopher Sharpley, Therese Melhem

Vicki Bitsika

Anxiety and depression inventory scores from 200 male and female university students attending a private university in Australia were examined for their factor structure. Once established, the two sets of factors were tested for gender-based differences, revealing that females were more likely than males to report symptomatology associated with pain and fatigue, sleeping and digestive problems, psychomotor agitation, confusion, and pessimism. Implications for counsellors are discussed.


What Stresses University Students: An Interview Investigation Of The Demands Of Tertiary Studies, Vicki Bitsika, Christoper Sharpley, Vira Rubenstein Sep 2012

What Stresses University Students: An Interview Investigation Of The Demands Of Tertiary Studies, Vicki Bitsika, Christoper Sharpley, Vira Rubenstein

Vicki Bitsika

Although several previous scales have been developed to measure the presence and effects of the stressful demands encountered by university students, most of these have been validated with samples drawn from US universities, commonly using only undergraduate psychology students. In addition, many of the items used are from scales designed for application within general adult populations, with little focus upon the specific stressors met by students. In order to identify what are the major changes these students encounter that they find stressful, a sample of 32 university students from different degree areas within an Australian university was individually interviewed using …


The Role Of Melancholia In Prostate Cancer Patients' Depression, Christopher Sharpley, Vicki Bitsika, David Christie Sep 2012

The Role Of Melancholia In Prostate Cancer Patients' Depression, Christopher Sharpley, Vicki Bitsika, David Christie

Vicki Bitsika

Background: Although it is well established that prostate cancer (PCa) patients are more likely to experience clinical depression than their age-matched non-prostate cancer peers, and that such depression can have negative effects upon survival, little is known about the underlying nature of the depressive symptomatology that these men experience. In particular, the incidence of melancholic symptoms of depression, which are signs of increased risk of suicide and resistance to treatment, has not previously been reported in PCa patients. The present study aimed to measure the incidence and nature of Melancholia in PCa depression.

Method: A sample of 507 …


'What Made Me Unhappy'. Experiences Of, And Responses To, Lifestyle Changes In Breast Cancer Patients, Vicki Bitsika, Christoper Sharpley, David Christie Sep 2012

'What Made Me Unhappy'. Experiences Of, And Responses To, Lifestyle Changes In Breast Cancer Patients, Vicki Bitsika, Christoper Sharpley, David Christie

Vicki Bitsika

Sixteen breast cancer patients were interviewed about any lifestyle changes they had experienced and their reactions to those changes. Data were collected and analysed via content analysis and then summary tabulations of patient responses until replication of responses was verified across patients. Results indicated that most patients suffered a reduction in recreation activities, unpleasant physical side effects from treatment and loss of feminine appearance characteristics, all of which were seen as decreases in previously available and valuable sources of social support and self-esteem. In response to these losses, patients reported a common coping strategy of avoidance or escape similar to …