Description:
Therapeutic prevention and/or early intervention programs for children at risk of developing disruptive behaviour disorders are increasingly being implemented in schools. One such Australian school-based program is CAST: CAMHS (Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service) and Schools Together, an evidenced-based program treating children with emerging disruptive behaviour disorders in the early primary school years. The current evaluation examines the process of implementation of the CAST program in primary schools. By using a conceptual model of school-based implementation (developed by Greenberg, Domitrovich, Graczyk & Zins, 2005) the wide array of factors that can affect successful implementation at the school level were identified, and those elements critical to implementation quality were examined. Semi-structured individual and group interviews were conducted with a sample of 69 school personnel across 16 schools in the City of Ballarat and wider Grampians region of Victoria, in both government and Catholic primary schools. Results showed that schools were highly satisfied with the quality of CAST resources and personnel, and the implementation and delivery of sessions as planned. Aspects that impacted negatively on the implementation process were the lack of parental engagement; the lack of classroom follow-up in some schools; the level of readiness and pre-planning by the schools; and the availability of technical support. Greenberg’s conceptual model appears to be a useful framework to utilise in examining the implementation of the CAST model, as it allowed close examination of how the program was implemented within naturally occurring constraints. It allowed the identification of elements within the CAST model and the associated support system that must be maintained and nurtured by the collaborating parties, in addition to the factors at a school level that are potential barriers to effective implementation. Identification and examination of such factors assist in ensuring quality outcomes for school-based interventions in the future.
Description:
Therapeutic prevention and/or early intervention programs for children at risk of developing disruptive behaviour disorders are increasingly being implemented in schools. One such Australian school-based program is CAST: CAMHS (Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service) and Schools Together, an evidenced-based program treating children with emerging disruptive behaviour disorders in the early primary school years. The current evaluation examines the process of implementation of the CAST program in primary schools. By using a conceptual model of school-based implementation (developed by Greenberg, Domitrovich, Graczyk & Zins, 2005) the wide array of factors that can affect successful implementation at the school level were identified, and those elements critical to implementation quality were examined. Semi-structured individual and group interviews were conducted with a sample of 69 school personnel across 16 schools in the City of Ballarat and wider Grampians region of Victoria, in both government and Catholic primary schools. Results showed that schools were highly satisfied with the quality of CAST resources and personnel, and the implementation and delivery of sessions as planned. Aspects that impacted negatively on the implementation process were the lack of parental engagement; the lack of classroom follow-up in some schools; the level of readiness and pre-planning by the schools; and the availability of technical support. Greenberg’s conceptual model appears to be a useful framework to utilise in examining the implementation of the CAST model, as it allowed close examination of how the program was implemented within naturally occurring constraints. It allowed the identification of elements within the CAST model and the associated support system that must be maintained and nurtured by the collaborating parties, in addition to the factors at a school level that are potential barriers to effective implementation. Identification and examination of such factors assist in ensuring quality outcomes for school-based interventions in the future.
Efficacy of a digital mental health biopsychosocial transdiagnostic intervention with or without therapist assistance for adults with anxiety and depression : adaptive randomized controlled trial
Evaluation of various support intensities of digital mental health treatment for reducing anxiety and depression in adults : protocol for a mixed methods, adaptive, randomized clinical trial
Description:
Objective: Prior to implementation of a Normal Labour and Birth Bundle (NLBB) at a regional maternity service in Victoria, Australia, this study aimed to understand clinician factors that may influence the uptake, acceptance and use of the NLBB. Design: This was a mixed methods study in which The Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) provided the framework for the conduct and analysis of the staff survey and focus groups. Descriptive and multiple regression were used to analyse the survey data and thematic analysis was used for the focus group data. Participants: Participants for the survey and focus groups included clinicians providing publicly funded care and management of labour for women birthing at the health service. Maternity care clinicians were invited to participate in both the survey and the focus groups. Findings: Seventy-six clinicians (88.8%) responded to the survey. Mean scores for TPB constructs were well above the mid-scale score of 4, indicating strong positive attitudes, high levels of self-efficacy and positive social pressure to use the NLBB and strong intentions to use it in the future. Self-efficacy was the strongest independent predictor (beta=0.45, p < 0.001) of intention to use the NLBB (overall model R2 = 0.38). A valued consequence of implementing standardised and objective guidelines, highlighted in the focus groups, was the positive impact on clinicians' confidence in their decision-making. Key conclusions: This study found that midwives and obstetricians were in favour of using a normal labour and birth care bundle and perceived the bundle to align with the expectations of work colleagues and the women they care for. The findings of this study show that clinicians at the health service had strong intentions to use the normal labour and birth care bundle in the future. Implications for practice: Implementation science is important in embedding and sustaining practice change. Understanding staff perceptions is an essential first step of this process. (c) 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Parental and peer influences on emerging adult problem gambling : Does exposure to problem gambling reduce stigmatizing perceptions and increase vulnerability?
Description:
The main aim of the current study was to investigate formal and informal psychosocial support use among a sample of men with cancer living in rural and regional Australia, and to examine how use of psychosocial support is related to psychological, physical and social wellbeing.
Description:
Master of Applied Science (Psychology)
Description:
The main aim of the current study was to investigate formal and informal psychosocial support use among a sample of men with cancer living in rural and regional Australia, and to examine how use of psychosocial support is related to psychological, physical and social wellbeing.
Description:
Master of Applied Science (Psychology)
Description:
A common form of treatment for Australian men with prostate cancer is a radical prostatectomy (RP). Although sociodemographic and medical factors have been found to be predictive of psychological distress following RP, the traditional masculine norms of self-reliance and stoicism are also implicated in poor psychological outcomes. The strength of the relationship between these masculine norms and distress may vary according to place of residence-specifically, living in regional/remote versus urban areas. The aim of the current study was to investigate these masculine norms as predictors of psychological distress among a sample of men who had received the same treatment for prostate cancer, in the context of place of residence. Participants were 447 men, aged between 42 and 77 years (M = 63.1, SD = 6.4), all of whom had undergone a RP within the previous 6 months. Participants completed self-report measures of psychological distress, physical functioning, self-reliance, and stoicism. As hypothesized, self-reliance and stoicism were independent and unique predictors of psychological distress, after controlling for sociodemographic and medical factors. Place of residence moderated the relationship between stoicism and distress, whereby the relationship was only significant for urban men. The relationship between self-reliance and distress was significant for all men regardless of place of residence. The current study takes an important step toward identifying potentially modifiable and context-specific factors that can impact the experience of psychological distress among men following RP.
Description:
Objective: The objective is to investigate the influence of characteristics related to place of residence (self-reliance and stoicism) on men's intentions to use a telephone support service following radical prostatectomy. Methods: A community sample of 447 prostate cancer patients (31% response), recruited via Medicare Australia, completed a survey to assess levels of self-reliance and stoicism, and beliefs about addressing emotional distress through using telephone support services. Results: Results indicated that the model was a partially mediated model. Geographic remoteness was directly related to intention, and indirectly related through stoicism and subjective norms. Conclusion: Men from rural and remote areas in Australia might face particular challenges in seeking support following treatment for prostate cancer. These challenges appear to relate to the influence of stoic attitudes and normative expectations, than to issues of access and availability. Addressing stoic attitudes in the clinical setting, through normalising emotional reactions to cancer diagnosis and treatment, and the act of help-seeking for emotional support, may be beneficial.Sons, Ltd.
Therapist training in video chat technology for use in an adaptive digital mental health intervention: Challenges, facilitators and implications for training models
Description:
The purpose of this article is to qualitatively explore participant and therapist experiences of the therapeutic alliance, perceived benefits, challenges, and areas for improvement when using video chat as a mode of therapist assistance within an adaptive digital mental health intervention. In total, 74 semistructured interviews were completed with participants and therapists who participated in an adaptive clinical trial. The participant interviews explored experiences of attending a clinical assessment via video chat and experiences of receiving low- or high-intensity therapist assistance via video chat. Interviews completed with therapists explored their experience of administrating a clinical assessment tool and delivering therapist assistance, both via video chat. Reflexive thematic analysis identified four themes: using video chat, characteristics of therapeutic relationships, task-specific experiences, and utility and adoption of video chat. Both participants and therapists were able to adapt to the modality of video chat and develop positive therapeutic alliances. They reported satisfaction with video chat for conducting clinical assessments and delivering therapist assistance. Concerns were identified by both participants and therapists with low-intensity therapist assistance. This study identified elements of task-specific experiences and human characteristics as more influential in participant and therapist experience than the modality of video chat technology. Implications for assessing suitability for the modality of video chat and low- and high-intensity models of therapist assistance are discussed. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved) (Source: journal abstract)