South East Asian migrant experiences in regional Victoria: Exploring well-being
- Authors: Townsend, Robert , Pascal, Jan , Delves, Mel
- Date: 2014
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Journal of Sociology Vol. 50, no. 4 (December 2014 2014), p. 601-615
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- Description: This article outlines a recent pilot project in Bendigo that collected baseline data in order to develop a preliminary understanding of regional migration experiences. The literature indicated that migrant experiences in Australian regional communities are under-researched. Sixty participants from South East Asia, who have migrated to Bendigo, Victoria within the last five years, completed a mixed-methods survey. The key findings reported upon are socio-structural factors, social connectedness and psychosocial well-being. Crucial factors such as culture, spirituality and non-English-language, link to the more complex issues of personal, social and cultural identity. These findings are significant in adding to the limited data and discussion about newly arrived migrants in rural and regional communities. There are sociological implications from this preliminary data concerning social capital and psychosocial well-being. There are also implications for policy development and professional practice for migration to rural and regional communities.
- Description: C1
Importance of relating with God for spiritual well-being
- Authors: Fisher, John
- Date: 2014
- Type: Text , Thesis
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- Description: The importance of relating with God for Spiritual Well-Being Twenty years of research in spiritual health/well-being culminate in this thesis. My PhD (1998), University of Melbourne, presented a Four Domains Model of Spiritual Health/Well-Being. This formed the theoretical base for several spiritual well-being questionnaires, presented in my EdD (2009), University of Ballarat. The main instrument, Spiritual Health And Life-Orientation Measure (SHALOM), proposed a novel method of assessing quality of relationships which are posited as reflecting spiritual well-being. These relationships are of each person with themselves, others, the environment and/or with a Transcendent Other (God). Instead of just investigating lived experiences, SHALOM asks for two responses to each item. Each respondent’s lived experience is compared with their stated ideals. Studies presented herein show that this double-response method, comparing ideal with actual, provides a statistically stronger measure of quality of relationships than lived experiences alone, thus spiritual well-being. Eighteen publications included in this thesis relate to studies of spiritual well-being in educational, healthcare and general community settings. A total of 52 studies, using SHALOM with 41686 people from 27 countries, have shown that, of the four sets of relationships measured by SHALOM, relating with God explains greatest variance in spiritual well-being, so is therefore most important. An international study with people involved with, as well as some opposed to, spirituality and religious education led to a generic form of SHALOM, in which the theistic words were replaced by ‘Transcendent’, with 19 alternatives provided from which to select preferred Transcendent, or none. This project revealed that relating with God, as Transcendent, provides greatest support for a person’s relating with self and others, in contrast to help provided by non-theistic and non-religious Transcendents and not believing in Transcendents. This research implies that researchers need to investigate relationship with God in any study of spiritual well-being, whether or not it fits their personal worldview.
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy
Physical and mental health perspectives of first year undergraduate rural university students
- Authors: Hussain, Rafat , Guppy, Michelle , Robertson, Suzanne , Temple, Elizabeth
- Date: 2013
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: BMC Public Health Vol. 13, no. 1 (2013), p.
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- Description: Background: University students are often perceived to have a privileged position in society and considered immune to ill-health and disability. There is growing evidence that a sizeable proportion experience poor physical health, and that the prevalence of psychological disorders is higher in university students than their community peers. This study examined the physical and mental health issues for first year Australian rural university students and their perception of access to available health and support services. Methods. Cross-sectional study design using an online survey form based on the Adolescent Screening Questionnaire modeled on the internationally recognised HEADSS survey tool. The target audience was all first-year undergraduate students enrolled in an on-campus degree program. The response rate was 41% comprising 355 students (244 females, 111 males). Data was analysed using standard statistical techniques including descriptive and inferential statistics; and thematic analysis of the open-ended responses. Results: The mean age of the respondents was 20.2 years (SD 4.8). The majority of the students lived in on-campus residential college style accommodation, and a third combined part-time paid work with full-time study. Most students reported being in good physical health. However, on average two health conditions were reported over the past six months, with the most common being fatigue (56%), frequent headaches (26%) and allergies (24%). Mental health problems included anxiety (25%), coping difficulties (19.7%) and diagnosed depression (8%). Most respondents reported adequate access to medical doctors and support services for themselves (82%) and friends (78%). However the qualitative comments highlighted concerns about stigma, privacy and anonymity in seeking counselling. Conclusions: The present study adds to the limited literature of physical and mental health issues as well as barriers to service utilization by rural university students. It provides useful baseline data for the development of customised support programs at rural campuses. Future research using a longitudinal research design and multi-site studies are recommended to facilitate a deeper understanding of health issues affecting rural university students. © 2013 Hussain et al.; licensee BioMed Central Ltd.
- Description: C1
Positive psychology and the internet: A Mental health opportunity
- Authors: Mitchell, Joanna , Vella-Brodrick, Dianne , Klein, Britt
- Date: 2010
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Sensoria Vol. 6, no. 2 (2010), p.30-41
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- Description: This paper reviews two relatively young fields of research - positive psychology and internet interventions – and discusses the combined potential of online positive psychology interventions (OPPIs) as an effective and sustainable health promotion tool. Five randomised controlled trials were identified testing the efficacy of OPPIs as a means of enhancing well-being, with three studies demonstrating increased well-being compared to a control group. Three studies also demonstrated depression symptom reduction, suggesting that well-being interventions may also have an illness treatment and prevention function. While this review is limited by the small number of studies currently available, researchers and practitioners are asked to consider the mental health promotion opportunities and benefits of delivering well-being interventions online.
Social, local and situated: Recent findings about the effectiveness of older men's Informal learning in community contexts
- Authors: Golding, Barry
- Date: 2011
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Adult Education Quarterly Vol. 61, no. 2 (2011), p. 103-120
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- Description: The informal learning that older (age 50+) men experience in Australia has been the subject of a suite of recent, intensive, mixed methods research projects in community-based voluntary organizations. The purpose of the research was to examine where men are learning in these contexts beyond work and formal education rather than to assume and problematize older men as nonlearners. This article draws together strands of completed field research to suggest that learning is effective for older men in community settings when it is social, local, practical, situated, and in groups, particularly for older, sometimes isolated men who have experienced a range of setbacks in life. While older Australian men tend to be missing from adult and community education (ACE) providers, they are able to informally share hands-on skills from their work lives with other men of all ages, with a range of important benefits to their own well-being, the well-being of other men, and the well-being of their communities. Some future areas for comparative international research are identified.
Developing a regional resilience monitor
- Authors: Lawton, Alan , Valenzuela, Ernesto , Duffy, Michelle , Morgan, Damian , Joiner, Therese
- Date: 2014
- Type: Text , Technical report , Research Report
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- Description: This study develops a Regional Resilience Monitor (RRM) which will enable the measurement of changes over time in a number of key dimensions for the well-being of regional Australia. Resilience is defined as the capacity of a local community to respond to, and anticipate economic, social and environmental change and to adapt, plan and transform itself for the future. Regional Resilience – in terms of health and well-being, productivity and economic growth, managing risk, and capturing opportunities for sustainable environments and human systems – has been identified as a key strategic priority for Australia, as it has been for a number of other countries. The RRM is made up of six interlocking elements that, together, form a holistic tool and provide a composite measure. These elements are: 1. Economic Health 2. Human Capital 3. Social Well-being 4. Liveability 5. Entrepreneurialism 6. Social Capital and Social Networks The first four elements can be measured using existing data and we identify those data sources. Elements 5 and 6 can be measured using a combination of existing data and, respectively, a newly developed regional entrepreneurship survey and a newly conceived social network analysis. The RRM was developed in, and for, the Latrobe Valley and the wider Gippsland region but can be ‘rolled out’ across regional Victoria as a whole and across regional Australia.
The development of the Gippsland Economic Modelling Tool
- Authors: Lawton, Alan , Valenzuela, Ernesto , Duffy, Michelle , Morgan, Damian
- Date: 2014
- Type: Text , Technical report , Research Report
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- Description: This study develops a measurement tool to assess the economic health, human capital, social well-being and liveability of regional locations. The study is guided by developments in the professional literature related to measuring these four dimensions. Information was compiled from existing databases for 72 indicators used to generate four indices: Economic Health, Human Capital, Social Well-being, and Liveability. Index measures are reported for local government authority (LGAs) and Victorian State levels. The four indices provide a new quantitative tool to capture the effects from, and so reflect, economic, social and policy changes impacting across Victoria. Further application of this tool may be provided through periodic data updates over time using data captured on a national scale. The regional focus of the present study is the Latrobe Valley located in the Gippsland region of Victoria. The Latrobe Valley encompasses the LGAs of Baw Baw, Latrobe City and Wellington Shires. In addition, index values are reported for 16 towns located within the three LGAs and we include these findings as Appendix 1. For comparative purposes, the study also reports index values for the Gippsland region (comprising LGAs of Baw-Baw, Bass Coast, East Gippsland, Latrobe City, South Gippsland and Wellington Shire), the State of Victoria, and regional (non-metropolitan areas) using averages. Data were gathered for all 79 Victorian LGAs. The study results provide a measurement framework constructed from a comprehensive application of available databases. The end-product is a significant “tool” that identifies and summates enablers of economic productivity and social and community development. The tool provides evidenced-based measures to inform policy recommendations with regard to strategic intervention options and ensuing impacts on regional sustainability.
Therapeutic landscapes: Understanding migration to Australian regional and rural communities
- Authors: Townsend, Robert , Pascal, Jan
- Date: 2012
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Rural Society Vol. 22, no. 1 (2012), p. 59-66
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- Description: This article explores the connections between therapeutic landscapes, social capital and personal well-being for migrants to rural and regional communities. We suggest the theoretical literature and empirical research is underexplored with regard to migration to regional and rural Australia; the landscapes and communities that migrants encounter; and how the migrant experience can be linked to notions of therapeutic landscapes, social capital development and personal well-being. Linking these concepts extends the extant discourses about the economic impact of migration; the social ghettoisation of migrants, and the representation of their experiences in local, regional and national media. Instead, we shift the focus to the connections, processes and relationships that impact social and economic exclusion for South East Asian migrants. Copyright © eContent Management Pty Ltd.
Older women in australia : facing the challenges of dual sensory loss
- Authors: Heine, Chyrisse , Gong, Cathy , Feldman, Susan , Browning, Colette
- Date: 2020
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health Vol. 17, no. 1 (2020), p.
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- Description: With the increase in longevity, the number of women living into old age is rising and higher than that of men. Data was derived from the Melbourne Longitudinal Studies on Healthy Ageing Program, which included 533 women and 467 men aged 65 years and older, in Australia, over 10 years. Logistic regression modeling was used to investigate the prevalence of dual sensory loss and the unmet needs for vision and hearing devices in older women (compared to men) over time, as well as its impacts on self-reported general health, depression, perceived social activities, community service use and ageing in place. Results suggested that the prevalence of dual sensory loss increased for women from the age of 75 years and over. Dual sensory loss was higher for older women and men who were living alone, with government benefits as their main income source or were divorced, separated or widowed. Dual sensory loss had significant impacts on poor general health, perceived inadequate social activities and community service use for women and men and on depression for women only. Early identification of dual sensory loss is essential to minimize its effects, ensuring continued well-being for this population. © 2019 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.
Integrating cultural ecosystem services valuation into coastal wetlands restoration : a case study from South Australia
- Authors: Clarke, Beverley , Thet, Aung , Sandhu, Harpinder , Dittmann, Sabine
- Date: 2021
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Environmental Science and Policy Vol. 116, no. (2021), p. 220-229
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- Description: Elaborating the benefits humans receive from coastal wetlands using a Cultural Ecosystem Services assessment is an emergent and important field linking human wellbeing to ecosystem function. Translating these benefits into useable concepts for environmental policymakers, and managers is challenging yet important for supporting landscape restoration projects. This study responds to the call for Cultural Ecosystem Services case studies beyond the northern hemisphere. A household survey of residents adjacent to a peri-urban coastal wetland in South Australia and an online survey of interest groups were administered to identify co-benefits associated with a coastal restoration project in the region. A dynamic/relational cultural values framework guided the analysis. Findings reveal that visitation has a positive influence; people valued most the places with which they were familiar. The analysis confirms a mutual connection between: ‘doing’ (undertaking an activity), environmental awareness and appreciation, the formation of attachment to place, and having positive experiences. The analysis also points out that the naturalness of this coastline is highly valued. The findings here diverge from previous coastal landscape assessments based singularly on scenic value. The implication is that localised, place-based landscape assessments which include cultural values, offer a more deliberative approach to policy development and planning and will more likely incorporate what matters most to people. © 2020 The Author(s)
Exposing the impact of intensive advice services on health : a realist evaluation
- Authors: Dalkin, Sonia , Forster, Natalie , Hodgson, Philip , Lhussier, Monique , Philipson, Pete , Carr, Susan
- Date: 2019
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Health and Social Care in the Community Vol. 27, no. 3 (2019), p. 767-776
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- Description: Attention has turned to welfare advice as a potential health and social care intervention. However, establishing direct evidence of health impact has proven difficult. This is compounded by the need to understand both the facilitative contexts and mechanisms through which this impact occurs. This study investigated if, how and in which circumstances an intensive advice service had an impact on stress and well-being (as precursors to health impacts), for clients attending a branch of Citizens Advice, located in the North East of England. A mixed methods realist evaluation of three intensive advice services offered by Citizens Advice (CA) was operationalised in five phases: (a) Building programme theories, (b) refining programme theories, (c) Development of a data recording tool, (d) Testing programme theories with empirical data, (e) Impact interviews. This paper focuses on phase 4. The Warwick Edinburgh Mental Wellbeing Scale (WEMWBS) and Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) were completed by 191 clients, with a 91% follow-up rate (data collected: February 2016 to March 2017). Twenty-two CA clients participated in interviews (data collected: October 2015 to November 2016). The PSS indicated a significant decrease in stress from initial consultation to approximately 4–6 weeks post advice from 31.4 to 10.3 (p < 0.001) and the WEMWBS indicated a significant increase in client well-being from a mean of 26.9 to 46.5 (p < 0.001). Nine refined programme theories are presented which combine the qualitative and quantitative analysis; they are underpinned by three abstract theories: Capabilities model, The Decision to Trust Model, and Third Space. An explanatory framework is presented covering the micro, meso, and macro levels of CA. Use of a stress and well-being lens has allowed insight into the precursors of health in those receiving intensive advice. Using these measures whilst explaining contextual and mechanistic properties, begins to build a complex and real picture of how advice services impact on health. © 2018 John Wiley & Sons Ltd
Validation of the persian version of spiritual well-being questionnaires
- Authors: Biglari Abhari, Mrayam , Fisher, John , Kheiltash, Azita , Nojomi, Marzieh
- Date: 2018
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Iranian journal of medical sciences Vol. 43, no. 3 (2018), p. 276-285
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- Description: Spiritual well-being is an important issue in health sciences, hence the need for validated instruments to assess this aspect of health in the Iranian population. The aim of the current study was to determine the validity of the Persian versions of 2 most common measures of spiritual health (Spiritual Well-Being Questionnaire [SWBQ] or Spiritual Health and Life-Orientation Measure [SHALOM] and Spiritual Well-Being Scale [SWBS]). This was a cross-sectional study via a convenience sampling method in Iran University of Medical Sciences with 170 participants aged above 18 years comprising students, teachers, and administrative staff and managers. The study was conducted from September 7, 2014 to September 20, 2015 in Tehran. Four questionnaires, namely the SWBQ, SWBS, General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12), and Oxford Happiness Questionnaire (OHQ), were used. Statistical analysis was done using SPSS 18 and LISREL (version 8.2). Cronbach's alpha, intra-class correlation coefficient, Pearson correlation, and confirmatory factor analysis were employed to assess the validity and reliability of the questionnaires. Cronbach's alpha for the SWBQ and the SWBS was greater than 0.85. The repeatability of both questionnaires was between 0.88 and 0.98. The Pearson correlation for the SWBQ and the SWBS ranged from 0.33 to 0.53 and all the correlations were significant. The respondents who indicated a higher spiritual well-being also reported better general health and happiness. The Persian versions of the SWBS and the SWBQ have good reliability, repeatability, and validity to assess spiritual health in the Iranian population.
Evaluating the effects of a therapeutic day rehabilitation program and inclusion of gardening in an Australian rural community health service
- Authors: Missen, Karen , Alindogan, Mark , Forrest, Scott , Waller, Susan
- Date: 2021
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Australian Journal of Primary Health Vol. 27, no. 6 (2021), p. 496-502
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- Description: Therapeutic day rehabilitation (TDR) is a non-residential intensive structured program designed for individuals recovering from substance misuse. A weekly afternoon of therapeutic gardening was a new incentive initiated in a TDR program at one Australian community health service, designed to give participants the opportunity to spend time outdoors connecting with nature and each other. The aim of this study was to explore perceptions of participants enrolled in this program by employing a convergent parallel mixed-method design using qualitative individual, semi-structured interviews (n = 14) and longitudinal quantitative quality of life (QOL) data at three different intervals (n = 17). The analysis of the quantitative data showed that there was a statistically significant increase in the participants' QOL scores in three of four domains (physical health, psychological, social relationships) when comparing baseline and post completion of the TDR. These observed changes were maintained at the 4-week follow up. The key findings from the semi-structured interviews include positive effects for participants on social connectivity, structure and achievement, understanding of recovery and relaxation from contact with nature. This study shows that a combination of TDR and therapeutic gardening can improve participants' physical health, psychological health and social relationships. © 2021 La Trobe University.
When the pursuit of happiness backfires : the role of negative emotion valuation
- Authors: Humphrey, Ashley , Szoka, Rebecca , Bastian, Brock
- Date: 2022
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Journal of Positive Psychology Vol. 17, no. 5 (2022), p. 611-619
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- Description: Recent research has uncovered a downside to the pursuit of happiness; placing a high value on happiness can ironically lead to lower well-being. Not all approaches have this effect, however, and individuals who seek positivity within their day-to-day routines may experience higher well-being. The current research investigated whether the difference between these two approaches (valuing happiness vs. prioritizing positivity) exists in how people orient towards their negative emotions. Across two studies (n = 496) we find that feeling pressured to avoid feeling anxious or depressed partially mediated the relationship between valuing happiness and decreased well-being, but this was not the case for prioritizing positivity. The findings suggest the negative well-being effects of placing a high value on happiness may be partially explained by a related tendency to devalue negative emotions, providing evidence for a mechanism through which the pursuit of happiness can become detrimental. © 2021 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.
Dimensions of religious/spiritual well-being in relation to personality and stress coping: Initial results from Bosnian young adults
- Authors: Malinovic, Alen , Fink, Andreas , Lewis, Andrew , Unterrainer, Human-Friedrich
- Date: 2016
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Journal of spirituality in mental health Vol. 18, no. 1 (2016), p. 43-54
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- Description: The aim of this study was to examine possible relationships between religious/spiritual well-being (RSWB), the Big Five personality factors, and stress coping strategies among Bosnian young adults. Therefore, a first Bosnian translation of the Multidimensional Inventory of Religious/Spiritual Well-being was applied on a sample of 290 (181 females) Bosnian undergraduate students. RSWB dimensions such as hope, forgiveness, or general religiosity were found to be substantially related with more favorable personality dimensions as well as with more adequate stress coping. As a conclusion RSWB dimensions were confirmed as being an important resource for mental health for this sample of Bosnian adolescents.
Individualism, collectivism, and well-being among a sample of emerging adults in the United States
- Authors: Nezlek, John , Humphrey, Ashley
- Date: 2023
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Emerging Adulthood Vol. 11, no. 2 (2023), p. 520-524
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- Description: An increasing body of research suggests that emerging adults living in Western societies are becoming more individualistic and such increases in individualism are associated with reduced well-being. The present study examined relationships between well-being and individualism and collectivism among 1906 emerging adults in the US, aged 18–25. We measured individualism and collectivism distinguishing horizontal and vertical dimensions of these constructs, and we measured well-being in terms of depression, anxiety, self-esteem, interpersonal relationships, and neuroticism. Regression analyses found that individualism was negatively related to well-being, and these relationships varied somewhat between horizontal and vertical individualism. Horizontal collectivism was positively related to all measures of well-being, and vertical collectivism was positively related to three measures. These findings increase our understanding of the roles individualism and collectivism play in the psychological well-being of emerging adults, including the importance of distinguishing horizontal and vertical dimensions of individualism and collectivism. © 2021 Society for the Study of Emerging Adulthood and SAGE Publishing.
Black female cultural safety in Tebrakunna Country : what is wellness for us?
- Authors: Lee, Emma
- Date: 2018
- Type: Text , Book chapter
- Relation: Tourism and Wellness: Travel for the Good of All? Chapter 1 p. 1-20
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- Description: By recognizing tourism as a profound social force, this book engages with notions of power and perspectives of wellness in tourism and contested conceptualizations of tourism spaces and places for wellness.
Stepping into a shared vulnerability
- Authors: McDonough, Sharon , Lemon, Narelle
- Date: 2022
- Type: Text , Book chapter
- Relation: Creating a place for self-care and wellbeing in higher education : finding meaning across academia Chapter 14 p. 187-196
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- Description: Those working in higher education face challenging and complex work environments, with academic staff subject to multiple accountability demands. In this chapter we engage in dialogic writing to examine ways to create and promote self-care and wellbeing in the space of higher education. We begin with a brief narrative about our own collaborative relationship before exploring strategies and provocations for ways to create authentic spaces for wellbeing. In doing so, we critique the concept of self-care and wellbeing as a performative tool that functions to reinforce individual responsibility and contend that creating space for self-care and wellbeing is a shared, collective and systemic responsibility that invites us to stand in a shared vulnerability.