ORCID Profile
0000-0003-4709-5003
Current Organisations
Children Beyond Dispute.com
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Deakin University
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La Trobe University
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Publisher: Scientific Research Publishing, Inc.
Date: 2023
Publisher: Bristol University Press
Date: 04-2020
DOI: 10.1332/175795920X15792720930280
Abstract: The Australian New Zealand Intergenerational Cohort Consortium (ANZ-ICC) brings together three of the longest running intergenerational cohort studies in Australia and New Zealand to examine the extent to which preconception parental life histories (from infancy to parenthood) predict next generation early health and development. The aims are threefold: (1) to describe pathways of advantage that strengthen emotional health and well-being from one generation to the next, (2) to describe pathways of disadvantage that perpetuate cycles of emotional and behavioural problems across generations, and (3) to identify modifiable factors capable of breaking intergenerational cycles. The Victorian Intergenerational Health Cohort Study has followed 1,943 young Australians from adolescence to adulthood across ten waves since 1992, and 1,030 offspring from pregnancy to early childhood since 2006. The Australian Temperament Project Generation 3 Study has followed 2,443 young Australians from infancy to adulthood across 15 waves since 1983, and 1170 offspring from pregnancy to early childhood since 2012. The Dunedin Multidisciplinary Health and Development Study Parenting Study has followed 1,037 young New Zealanders across 15 waves since 1972, and 730 offspring in early childhood since 1994. Cross-cohort replication analyses will be conducted for common preconception exposures and next generation offspring outcomes, while integrated data analysis of pooled data will be used for rare exposures and outcomes. The ANZ-ICC represents a unique collaboration that bridges the disciplines of lifecourse epidemiology, biostatistics, developmental psychology and psychiatry, to study the role of parental preconception exposures on next generation health and development.
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 07-2020
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 10-2022
DOI: 10.1007/S00127-020-01965-Y
Abstract: To examine associations between anxiety and depressive symptoms across adolescence and young adulthood with subsequent maternal- and paternal-infant bonding at 1 year postpartum. The data were from a prospective, intergenerational cohort study. Participants (381 mothers of 648 infants 277 fathers of 421 infants) self-reported depression and anxiety at three adolescent waves (ages 13, 15 and 17 years) and three young adult waves (ages 19, 23 and 27 years). Subsequent parent-infant bonds with infants were reported at 1 year postpartum (parent age 29-35 years). Generalised estimating equations (GEE) separately assessed associations for mothers and fathers. Mean postpartum bonding scores were approximately half a standard deviation lower in parents with a history of persistent adolescent and young adult depressive symptoms (maternal β Persistent symptoms of depression or anxiety spanning adolescence and young adulthood predict poorer emotional bonding with infants 1-year postbirth for both mothers and fathers.
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 07-2011
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 03-2002
DOI: 10.1016/S0145-2134(01)00321-0
Abstract: This article provides a clinical perspective on the combined impacts on children of spousal violence in the home and the absence of attuned parental thought that accompanies it. This article takes the form of a commentary, drawing on clinical case studies and research literature to illustrate the child's experience of "unthinking," nonreflective parental states of mind, from the point of witnessing violence through to contact arrangements post-separation. Parallel dynamics and impacts are discussed with caregiving and legislative systems. The article suggests that "unthinking" states of mind in parents can be as damaging for a child as the overt witnessing and experiencing of violence. The prevention or early overturning of unthinking states of mind, in and out of the home, greatly influences the nature of a child's recovery from domestic violence.
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 2019
DOI: 10.1016/J.JADOHEALTH.2018.07.024
Abstract: This study examined the extent to which care-oriented attitudes and behaviours in adolescence (e.g., volunteering) predict positive development (PD e.g., life satisfaction and meaning urpose) in young adulthood (19-28 years). The analytic s le comprised 1,359 participants participating from a 35-year (16 wave) population-based cohort study (The Australian Temperament Project). Adolescent care-oriented attitudes and behaviours were defined in mid-adolescence (15-16 years). Young adult PD was defined by latent growth curve modelling across three waves (19-20, 23-24, and 27-28 years). There was considerable variation in PD at the beginning of young adulthood (19-20 years) (variance of intercept = 40.22, SE = 4.53, p < .001). Once baseline PD levels were established in young adulthood, there was evidence of increasing PD over time (mean slope = .34, SE = .04, 95%CI = [.26, .41], p < .001, β = .65), with little variation in this rate of change between participants (variance of slope = .27, SE = .15, p = .087). After controlling for sex, parental education, and personality factors (b = 3.49, SE(b) = .67, 95%CI = [2.17, 4.80], p < .001, β = .22) care orientations in adolescence predicted PD at age 19-20 years, establishing the starting point of PD trajectories across young adulthood. Results suggest that promotion of care-oriented attitudes and behaviours in adolescence may enhance adult development by increasing PD levels at the start of the twenties. Intervening earlier in life is indicated as PD tends to remain stable throughout young adulthood once established.
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 06-2022
DOI: 10.1016/J.JAAC.2021.08.024
Abstract: The affectional bond experienced by a mother toward her developing fetus/infant has been theorized to be a critical factor in determining infant developmental outcomes yet there remains a paucity of research in this area, and a lack of high-quality longitudinal studies. This study aimed to examine the extent to which mother-to-infant bonding predicted infant development in a multi-wave longitudinal pregnancy cohort study (N = 1,347). Self-reported bonding was assessed using the Maternal Antenatal Attachment Scale at each trimester, and the Maternal Postnatal Attachment Scale at 8 weeks and 12 months postpartum. Infant development was assessed using the Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development, Third Edition (Bayley-III) at 12 months. Bonding predicted indicators of infant social-affective development, including social-emotional, behavioral, and temperamental outcomes. Effect sizes ranged from small to moderate, increasing over the perinatal period (β = 0.11-0.27). Very small effects were also identified in the relationship between bonding and cognitive, language, and motor development (β = 0.06-0.08). Findings suggest that a mother's perceived emotional connection with her child plays a role in predicting social-affective outcomes prediction may not extend to other domains of infant development. Maternal bonding may therefore be a potentially modifiable predictor of infant social-affective outcomes, offering important considerations for preventive intervention.
Publisher: Cambridge University Press (CUP)
Date: 08-10-2021
DOI: 10.1017/S0033291721003925
Abstract: This study assessed the extent to which women's preconception binge drinking, tobacco use and cannabis use, reported prospectively in adolescence and young adulthood, predicted use of these substances during pregnancy and at 1 year postpartum. Data were pooled from two intergenerational cohort studies: the Australian Temperament Project Generation 3 Study (395 mothers, 691 pregnancies) and the Victorian Intergenerational Health Cohort Study (398 mothers, 609 pregnancies). Alcohol, tobacco and cannabis use were assessed in adolescence (13–18 years), young adulthood (19–29 years) and at ages 29–35 years for those transitioning to parenthood. Exposures were weekly or more frequent preconception binge drinking (5 + drinks in one session), tobacco use and cannabis use. Outcomes were any alcohol, tobacco and cannabis use prior to awareness of the pregnancy, after awareness of pregnancy (up to and including the third trimester pregnancy) and at 1 year postpartum. Frequent preconception binge drinking, tobacco use and cannabis use across both adolescence and young adulthood were strong predictors of continued use post-conception, before and after awareness of the pregnancy and at 1 year postpartum. Substance use limited to young adulthood also predicted continued use post-conception. Persistent alcohol, tobacco use and cannabis use that starts in adolescence has a strong continuity into parenthood. Reducing substance use in the perinatal period requires action well before pregnancy, commencing in adolescence and continuing into the years before conception and throughout the perinatal period.
Publisher: Frontiers Media SA
Date: 04-08-2021
DOI: 10.3389/FPSYT.2021.717811
Abstract: Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has placed considerable pressure on families, testing the quality of relationships and the strength of social support within and beyond the family network. However, little is known about the pre-pandemic factors that predict family relational resilience and social functioning during times of natural disaster or global crisis. Here we use data from one of Australia's longest running studies of social and emotional development to examine the nature and timing of possible relational and social support intervention aimed at preparing families for future adversities. Methods: Data were from the Australian Temperament Project Generation 3 (ATPG3) Study, a population representative three generation cohort study of families established in 1983. A subset of Generation 2 parents completed a COVID-19 specific survey in May-September 2020 (502 parents of 871 children 60% mothers 37–38 years). These participants had completed the Quality of Relationships Inventory to assess social support during young adulthood, at 23–24 years (2006) and 27–28 years (2010), before next generation conception. Participants had also completed the Maternity Social Support Scale 1 year postpartum for each child born across the ATPG3 assessment period (2012–2019). In 2020, during the height of the Australian lockdowns, participants rated the quality of their relationships with their partners, children and broader family and friends, in addition to social support within and extended beyond their family. Results: Pre-pandemic partner support was associated with partner relationship quality during the pandemic (β = 0.22). Pre-pandemic support from friends was associated with relationship quality with other family and friends during the pandemic (β = 0.12 – 0.18). Pre-pandemic support (from partner, family and friends) was consistently associated with social support within families during the pandemic (β = 0.11 – 0.21). Pre-pandemic support from friends was also associated with family support extended to others within their local community during the pandemic (β = 0.12 – 0.13). Conclusions: Strengthening supportive relationships during major life transitions, prior to the start of family life and in early parenthood, may have long-term and intergenerational benefits years into the future for both families and communities. This may promote resilience during future crises and other more normative stressful life events.
Publisher: Cambridge University Press (CUP)
Date: 10-04-2019
DOI: 10.1017/S0033291719000709
Abstract: Maternal mental health during pregnancy and postpartum predicts later emotional and behavioural problems in children. Even though most perinatal mental health problems begin before pregnancy, the consequences of preconception maternal mental health for children's early emotional development have not been prospectively studied. We used data from two prospective Australian intergenerational cohorts, with 756 women assessed repeatedly for mental health problems before pregnancy between age 13 and 29 years, and during pregnancy and at 1 year postpartum for 1231 subsequent pregnancies. Offspring infant emotional reactivity, an early indicator of differential sensitivity denoting increased risk of emotional problems under adversity, was assessed at 1 year postpartum. Thirty-seven percent of infants born to mothers with persistent preconception mental health problems were categorised as high in emotional reactivity, compared to 23% born to mothers without preconception history (adjusted OR 2.1, 95% CI 1.4–3.1). Ante- and postnatal maternal depressive symptoms were similarly associated with infant emotional reactivity, but these perinatal associations reduced somewhat after adjustment for prior exposure. Causal mediation analysis further showed that 88% of the preconception risk was a direct effect, not mediated by perinatal exposure. Maternal preconception mental health problems predict infant emotional reactivity, independently of maternal perinatal mental health while associations between perinatal depressive symptoms and infant reactivity are partially explained by prior exposure. Findings suggest that processes shaping early vulnerability for later mental disorders arise well before conception. There is an emerging case for expanding developmental theories and trialling preventive interventions in the years before pregnancy.
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 19-12-2007
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 29-05-2018
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 07-2011
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 08-2019
DOI: 10.1016/J.DRUGALCDEP.2019.05.001
Abstract: Modelling trajectories of substance use over time is complex and requires judicious choices from a number of modelling approaches. In this study we examine the relative strengths and weakness of latent curve models (LCM), growth mixture modelling (GMM), and latent class growth analysis (LCGA). Data were drawn from the Australian Temperament Project, a 36-year-old community-based longitudinal study that has followed a s le of young Australians from infancy to adulthood across 16 waves of follow-up since 1983. Models were fitted on past month alcohol use (n = 1468) and cannabis use (n = 549) across six waves of data collected from age 13-14 to 27-28 years. Of the three model types, GMMs were the best fit. However, these models were limited given the variance of numerous growth parameters had to be constrained to zero. Additionally, both the GMM and LCGA solutions had low entropy. The negative binomial LCMs provided a relatively well-fitting solution with fewer drawbacks in terms of growth parameter estimation and entropy issues. In all cases, model fit was enhanced when using a negative binomial distribution. Substance use researchers would benefit from adopting a complimentary framework by exploring both LCMs and mixture approaches, in light of the relative strengths and weaknesses as identified. Additionally, the distribution of data should inform modelling decisions.
Publisher: American Psychological Association (APA)
Date: 11-2016
DOI: 10.1037/PAS0000277
Abstract: When former spouses experience distress and dispute following separation, risks to well-being and to safety are heightened for all family members. Reliable family-wide risk screening is essential. The Family Law DOORS (Detection of Overall Risk Screen) is a 3-part screening framework to assist identification, evaluation, and response to safety and well-being risks in separated families. Uniquely, the Family Law DOORS screens for victimization and perpetration risks and appraises infant and child developmental risk. The Family Law DOORS self-report screening tool is the subject of this report. Internal scale reliability and concurrent and external criterion validity for the Family Law DOORS were estimated with a community s le of 660 separated parents, including 181 mother-father pairs. Overall psychometric properties are strong and demonstrate good potential for the Family Law DOORS to support early risk detection for separating families. (PsycINFO Database Record
Publisher: Scientific Research Publishing, Inc.
Date: 2022
Publisher: SAGE Publications
Date: 30-08-2023
DOI: 10.1177/15248380231194062
Abstract: The impact of family violence (FV) on children is a significant global public policy issue. Earliest identification of FV among children is critical for preventing escalating sequelae. While practitioners routinely ask adults about FV, there are relatively few measures that enable children to reliably self-report on their own safety. This review sought to systematically identify and appraise all available child self-report measures for screening and assessment of FV in both clinical and research settings. Database searching was conducted in January 2022. Articles were eligible for review if they included a validated child (5–18 years) self-report measure of FV (including victimization, perpetration, and/or exposure to inter-parental violence). Screening of an initial 4,714 records identified a total of 85 articles, representing 32 unique validated instruments. Results provide an up-to-date catalog of child self-report measures of FV, intended to benefit practitioners, services and researchers in selecting appropriate tools, and in understanding their suitability and limitations for different cohorts and practice goals. While just under half of the measures captured both exposure to inter-parental violence and direct victimization, none captured all three domains of exposure, victimization and perpetration together. Instruments with provision for input from multiple respondents (e.g., both child and parent report) and with assessment of contextual risk factors were few. Findings point to the need for developmentally appropriate, whole-of-family screening and assessment frameworks to support children in the early identification of family safety concerns.
Publisher: Public Library of Science (PLoS)
Date: 20-11-2020
DOI: 10.1371/JOURNAL.PONE.0242730
Abstract: Penalised regression methods are a useful atheoretical approach for both developing predictive models and selecting key indicators within an often substantially larger pool of available indicators. In comparison to traditional methods, penalised regression models improve prediction in new data by shrinking the size of coefficients and retaining those with coefficients greater than zero. However, the performance and selection of indicators depends on the specific algorithm implemented. The purpose of this study was to examine the predictive performance and feature (i.e., indicator) selection capability of common penalised logistic regression methods (LASSO, adaptive LASSO, and elastic-net), compared with traditional logistic regression and forward selection methods. Data were drawn from the Australian Temperament Project, a multigenerational longitudinal study established in 1983. The analytic s le consisted of 1,292 (707 women) participants. A total of 102 adolescent psychosocial and contextual indicators were available to predict young adult daily smoking. Penalised logistic regression methods showed small improvements in predictive performance over logistic regression and forward selection. However, no single penalised logistic regression model outperformed the others. Elastic-net models selected more indicators than either LASSO or adaptive LASSO. Additionally, more regularised models included fewer indicators, yet had comparable predictive performance. Forward selection methods dismissed many indicators identified as important in the penalised logistic regression models. Although overall predictive accuracy was only marginally better with penalised logistic regression methods, benefits were most clear in their capacity to select a manageable subset of indicators. Preference to competing penalised logistic regression methods may therefore be guided by feature selection capability, and thus interpretative considerations, rather than predictive performance alone.
Publisher: SAGE Publications
Date: 05-1993
Publisher: American Psychological Association (APA)
Date: 02-2015
DOI: 10.1037/H0101018
Publisher: Cambridge University Press (CUP)
Date: 21-07-2016
DOI: 10.1017/S0033291716001495
Abstract: The aims of the study were to describe the patterning and persistence of anxiety and depressive symptoms from adolescence to young adulthood and to examine long-term developmental relationships with earlier patterns of internalizing behaviours in childhood. We used parallel processes latent growth curve modelling to build trajectories of internalizing from adolescence to adulthood, using seven waves of follow-ups (ages 11–27 years) from 1406 participants of the Australian Temperament Project. We then used latent factors to capture the stability of maternal reported child internalizing symptoms across three waves of early childhood follow-ups (ages 5, 7 and 9 years), and examined relationships among these patterns of symptoms across the three developmental periods, adjusting for gender and socio-economic status. We observed strong continuity in depressive symptoms from adolescence to young adulthood. In contrast, adolescent anxiety was not persistent across the same period, nor was it related to later depressive symptoms. Anxiety was, however, related to non-specific stress in young adulthood, but only moderately so. Although childhood internalizing was related to adolescent and adult profiles, the associations were weak and indirect by adulthood, suggesting that other factors are important in the development of internalizing symptoms. Once established, adolescent depressive symptoms are not only strongly persistent, but also have the potential to differentiate into anxiety in young adulthood. Relationships with childhood internalizing symptoms are weak, suggesting that early adolescence may be an important period for targeted intervention, but also that further research into the childhood origins of internalizing behaviours is needed.
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 02-2021
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 14-08-2020
DOI: 10.1111/SODE.12392
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 19-12-2007
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 02-06-2021
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 12-2013
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 12-1991
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 05-2007
Publisher: Cambridge University Press (CUP)
Date: 1999
DOI: 10.1017/S1035077200009342
Abstract: This paper sets out a series of principles for minimising the trauma of transitions experienced by children in out of home care. It is based on a child centred approach that has as its goal making transition bearable and psychologically useful for each child who must go through it, creating a space where even previous transition wounds might heal. The paper concentrates particularly on the complexities of helping children to move between foster care and permanent care placements.
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 10-2004
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 07-2017
DOI: 10.1111/FCRE.12291
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 04-07-2023
DOI: 10.1007/S10566-023-09761-W
Abstract: The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and associated public health restrictions created unprecedented challenges for parents and their young dependent children. While psycho-social impacts of natural disasters on families are well studied, a typography of parent specific concerns in the COVID-19 context was yet to be articulated. Using a bioecological systems framework, we adopted a mixed-methods research design to examine parents’ core concerns about the impacts of the pandemic on themselves and their children, testing for differences in concern foci of mothers compared with fathers. Data were drawn from the Australian Temperament Project Generation 3 (ATPG3) study, a prospective study of children born to a 40-year population-based cohort. During enforced COVID-19 lockdown restrictions between May to September 2020, ATPG3 parents ( n = 516) were surveyed about their own and their children’s functioning in the context of the pandemic. Subject of qualitative content analysis, parents ( n = 192) experiencing wellbeing concerns offered additional free-text responses about the nature of stress impacting themselves and their child/ren. Parents reported far-reaching impacts for themselves and their children across multiple bioecological systems. Core concerns were for emotional rather than physical health, specifically, for parents this was represented by increased levels of anxiety and stress, and for children, these impacts were notable from a developmental perspective. Greater frequency of parenting related concern was expressed by mothers in comparison to fathers. Findings demonstrate the complex and interrelated nature of multi-systemic and gendered stressors impacting parents during the pandemic, and importantly point to modifiable risk factors which may inform early risk detection efforts.
Publisher: American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP)
Date: 05-2019
Abstract: A comprehensive understanding of how timing of exposure to disadvantage affects long-term developmental risk is needed for greater precision in child health policy. We investigated whether socioeconomic disadvantage in infancy (age 0–1 years) directly affects academic and self-regulation problems in late childhood (age 10–12 years), independent of disadvantage at school entry (age 4–6 years). Analyses were replicated in 2 population-based cohorts: the Australian Temperament Project (ATP N = 2443) and the Longitudinal Study of Australian Children (LSAC N = 5107). Generalized linear models were used to estimate the crude and adjusted effects. Marginal structural models were used to estimate the controlled direct effect of socioeconomic disadvantage in infancy on academic and self-regulation outcomes in late childhood, independent of disadvantage at school entry. In both cohorts, socioeconomic disadvantage in infancy and at school entry was associated with poorer academic and self-regulation outcomes. Socioeconomic disadvantage in infancy had a direct effect on academic outcomes not mediated by disadvantage at school entry (ATP: risk ratio [RR] = 1.42 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.09–1.86 LSAC: RR = 1.87 95% CI: 1.52–2.31). Little evidence was found for a direct effect of disadvantage in infancy on self-regulation (ATP: RR = 1.22 95% CI: 0.89–1.65 LSAC: RR = 1.19 95% CI: 0.95–1.49). Socioeconomic disadvantage in infancy had a direct effect on academic but not self-regulation outcomes in late childhood. More precise public policy responses are needed that consider both the timing of children’s exposure to disadvantage and the specific developmental domain impacted.
Publisher: SAGE Publications
Date: 21-11-2019
Abstract: Attachment status in early childhood is a key yet modifiable contributor to the development of social–emotional competence. The security and organization of the infant–mother attachment bond is particularly susceptible to stressors in the caregiving environment. While the impacts of normative interparental conflict on infant attachment are increasingly understood, the potentially unique place of intimate partner violence (IPV) in this pathway has been under-researched. This study surveyed all empirical work in this area, including unpublished literature ( k = 6, N = 3,394), to examine meta-analytic associations between maternal experiences of IPV and offspring attachment security (ages 1–5 years) measured at least 6 months post-IPV exposure. Mothers’ reports of IPV from pregnancy onward were inversely associated with offspring attachment security, r = −.23, CI [−0.42, −0.04], p = .02. S le risk characteristics (e.g., clinical vs. community) moderated this association child’s age at attachment measurement and method of assessing child attachment (e.g., observational, representational, parent report) also moderated at a trend level. Implications for early screening, intervention, and future research are discussed.
Publisher: Routledge
Date: 02-04-2021
Publisher: Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation
Date: 31-08-2022
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 07-2011
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 04-2004
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 10-11-2022
DOI: 10.1007/S10488-022-01232-Z
Abstract: Recently, the lived and living experience (LLE) workforce in mental health and alcohol and other drugs (AOD) sectors has expanded. Despite widespread benefit of this inclusion, some LLE practitioners have encountered personal and professional challenges in their workforce roles. An essential avenue to address these challenges is through provision of training to ensure adequate LLE role preparation, and to support integration of LLE workforces within mental health and AOD settings. We aim to understand the primary components applied in LLE training programs (i.e., content and methods), the outcomes from program participation, and to summarize observed patterns between training components and outcomes. This rapid review utilized a systematic methodology following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines to synthesize existing literature on training programs for service users or carers/family in lived experience roles, in the mental health and AOD workforce. We searched CINAHL, PsycINFO, Medline, and Web of Science databases. We identified 36 relevant studies. Findings indicate short- and long-term impacts of training participation for this emerging workforce, with the most promising outcomes being increased professional knowledge and skills and improved personal psychosocial wellbeing and trauma recovery. Other positive training outcomes included high trainee satisfaction, increased application of training skills, and employment/education opportunities following training completion. Gaps and training limitations were noted in relation to the training content/delivery, trainee reservations, and personal barriers to training participation or completion. In response to program benefits and limitations investigated, we present recommendations for improving training processes for this workforce.
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 04-2004
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 10-2021
DOI: 10.1111/FCRE.12603
Abstract: Separation is a high‐risk time in families and for many it marks the onset or escalation of family safety and wellbeing risks like Intimate Partner Violence (IPV). Best practice for identifying such risks in court or community mediation services is systematic inquiry about safety risks with structured tools to overcome under‐reporting of risks. However, turning best practice recommendations into routine practice can take years – even when the evidence is strong that practitioners and their clients will ultimately benefit. Relationships Australia South Australia has addressed this evidence‐practice gap by engaging our leadership and undertaking whole‐of‐organization implementation of the Family DOORS framework. This includes the validated screening tool DOOR 1, that helps practitioners identify and respond to family‐wide risks during peak stress such as separation. In this article, we review our 10‐year implementation journey towards best practice in risk screening, reporting on 28,097 screens completed with clients to date. We describe the initiatives used to address practitioner and infrastructure barriers to implementation. We present both quantitative and qualitative indicators of practitioner change along with client survey data ( n = 1,291), demonstrating changes in practices that have enhanced client engagement and led to an increase in client safety and wellbeing outcomes. We share recommendations for and innovations in translation to other service contexts. We hope that using the following recommendations and adopting the DOORS tools will encourage and enable others to implement best practice risk screening in far less than 10 years.
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 04-2009
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 04-11-2022
DOI: 10.1111/INFA.12513
Abstract: We examined the factor structure of parental sensitivity to infants as assessed by the Mini-Maternal Behavior Q-Sort (Mini-MBQS), a 25-item short-form of the original 90-item MBQS. We aimed to: (1) identify latent factors of the Mini-MBQS and (2) validate each factor by testing associations with infant attachment classifications. Data on parent-infant dyads (n = 313 222 mothers with 281 children, 29 fathers with 32 children) were drawn from a three-generation Australian cohort study. Exploratory Factor Analysis and Exploratory Structural Equation Modelling examined the structure of the Mini-MBQS. Two latent Mini-MBQS factors were identified, requiring 8 of 25 original items: (1) Attention and Responsiveness and (2) Contingency in Interactions. Infants with insecure attachment classifications had parents with lower sensitivity across both factors relative to infants classified secure. In particular, infants with resistant attachment classifications had parents with notably low Contingency in Interactions scores. Infants with disorganised attachment classifications had parents with the lowest relative sensitivity across both factors, and in these dyads Attention and Responsiveness scores were especially low. Results provide an empirically derived factor structure for the Mini-MBQS. Two subscales, each with significant infant attachment associations, may improve precision in clinical intervention and research translation.
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 07-2011
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 26-05-2023
DOI: 10.1002/ANZF.1534
Abstract: Many Australians are requiring mental health care, including families, leading to long wait times in order to access support. Walk‐in therapy reduces barriers to mental health support services by providing support at the time that families seek help. This paper presents a proof‐of‐concept study investigating the acceptability and short‐term effectiveness of an online walk‐in family therapy service, Walk‐in Together (WIT). Part 1 of the paper describes the experiences of 44 family members from 22 families who presented to a public family therapy clinic for a virtual walk‐in family therapy session. The session was conducted by a team of three experienced family therapists. Family members' experiences were sought pre‐session, post‐session, and at 6 weeks follow‐up via survey and interview. Part 2 of the paper explores therapist perceptions ( n = 7) of the WIT approach, through thematic analysis of semi‐structured interview data. Post‐session feedback showed 85% of family members found WIT to be helpful and 50% were optimistic about their future as a family after their WIT session. Six weeks post‐session it was revealed that WIT supported planning for families in equipping them to move forward with 88% of family members reporting that they knew what to do after the session. All therapists uniformly experienced the model as offering a timely and beneficial service, suitable for erse presentations and constellations of families. These preliminary results suggest the significant utility of this WIT intervention as a well‐received and helpful service for families, who valued the easy access and rapid therapeutic response afforded by the online, walk‐in delivery model. This proof‐of‐concept paper suggests the potential for further development and growth of WIT, as well as other mental health support services using a walk‐in, telehealth model to meet the rising demand for therapeutic support for families in distress.
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 08-07-2021
DOI: 10.1002/EAT.23575
Abstract: There has been interest in the antecedents and mental health impacts of eating and body image disturbances in adolescence. Less is known about longer‐term mental health impacts into young adulthood, as longitudinal studies with data spanning this developmental period are rare. We capitalize on mental health data collected across adolescence and young adulthood from a population‐based cohort study that has been following Australian children and their families from infancy to young adulthood. This s le comprised 1,568 participants who completed the Eating Disorder Inventory drive for thinness and bulimic behavior (the severity of binge‐purge patterns) subscales, and a modified version of the body dissatisfaction subscale in mid‐adolescence (15–16 years), or the Depression Anxiety Stress Scales in young adulthood (19–20, 23–24, and 27–28 years). After adjusting for baseline demographic and prior mental health factors ( years of age), all three indices of eating and body image disturbances in adolescence predicted each mental health outcome in young adulthood. Mental health risks associated with adolescent body dissatisfaction and bulimic behavior scores remained stable across young adulthood, with men having more pronounced problems associated with bulimic behavior scores than women. In contrast, mental health risks associated with adolescent drive for thinness scores diminished across this period similarly for men and women. Findings suggest that adolescent eating and body image disturbances may have long‐term mental health impacts that extend into young adulthood. This underscores the need for early preventative intervention, and longer‐term monitoring and support for body image and eating disturbances.
Publisher: Public Library of Science (PLoS)
Date: 16-03-2023
DOI: 10.1371/JOURNAL.PONE.0272101
Abstract: Early relational health is a key determinant of childhood development, while relational trauma in the parent-infant dyad can instigate a cascading pattern of infant risk. Fortunately, early relational trauma is detectable and modifiable. In 2018, Australian Maternal and Child Health (MCH) nurses participated in MERTIL (My Early Relational Trauma -Informed Learning), a program to identify and prevent relational trauma. Program evaluations revealed nurses felt competent and confident to identify and respond to relational trauma however, response capacity was inhibited by inadequate parent referral options. In response, MERTIL for Parents (My Early Relational Trust -Informed Learning) was developed, which is an online, evidence-based, self-paced parenting program that focuses on enhancing parental knowledge of relational trust and its significance for infant development. This low-cost, accessible prevention resource targets emerging relational concerns to reduce later service system engagement. The potential for universal preventative online programs that target parental and relational wellbeing remains under-explored. This paper reports on a protocol for implementing a MERTIL for Parents pilot study describing practitioners’ and parents’ perspectives on program feasibility and efficacy. This study is a mixed methods, parallel armed, uncontrolled, repeated measures design. We aim to recruit 48 Australian MCH practitioners from the states of Victoria and New South Wales. These professionals will in turn recruit 480 parents with a child aged 0–5 years. All parents will receive MERTIL for Parents , which entails a 40-minute video, tipsheets, posters, and support resources. Parent data will be obtained at three periods: pre-program, program exit, and program follow-up. Practitioner data will be collected at two periods: pre-parent recruitment and program follow-up. Data collection will occur through surveys and focus groups. Primary parent outcomes will be socioemotional assessments of program efficacy. Practitioners and parents will each report on program feasibility. This protocol describes the feasibility and efficacy of a new online parenting program, MERTIL for Parents , with pilot field studies commencing in March 2023. We anticipate that this resource will be a valuable addition to various child and family services, for use in in idual support and group work.
Publisher: American Psychological Association (APA)
Date: 2021
DOI: 10.1037/VIO0000321
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 09-05-2023
DOI: 10.1002/ANZF.1536
Abstract: Internationally, while the interdisciplinary field of family therapy and systemic practices is well established and evidence for therapeutic impact is advanced, evaluation of training and measurement of its impact lags behind. This paper addresses this gap, utilising a single case study at the Bouverie Centre, the largest family therapy and workforce development service in Australia. We describe (a) the scope of workforce training and implementation at the Centre, (b) the development of our training research and evaluation framework, and (c) standardised data collection methodology, including a pre‐post training reflective survey. Collectively, this work comprises our current evaluation framework through which we will subsequently examine training impact. Future research and practice recommendations are offered to address challenges to workforce training evaluation and progress efficacy of family therapy training.
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 09-2000
Publisher: BMJ
Date: 09-2022
DOI: 10.1136/BMJOPEN-2022-061854
Abstract: The Australian Temperament Project Generation 3 Study (ATPG3) was established to examine the extent to which offspring social and emotional development is shaped in the decades prior to conception, in parent and grandparent histories of psychosocial adjustment (eg, emotional regulation, relationship quality and prosociality) and maladjustment (eg, depressive symptoms, substance use and antisociality). The Australian Temperament Project (ATP) commenced in 1983 as a population representative survey of the social and emotional health of 2443 young Australians (Generation 2: 4–8 months old) and their parents (Generation 1). Since then, families have been followed from infancy to young adulthood (16 waves). Between 2012 and 2018, the cohort was screened biannually for pregnancies (Generation 3), with assessments conducted in the third trimester of pregnancy, and at 8 weeks and 1 year postpartum. A total of 1167 offspring (607 female) born to 703 Generation 2 parents (400 mothers) were recruited into the ATPG3 Study. Findings to date highlight: (1) strong continuities in depressive symptoms and substance use from adolescence through to becoming a parent (2) a role for persistent preconception mental health problems in risk for parent–child bonding difficulties, as well as infant emotional reactivity and behaviour problems (3) the importance of secure attachments in adolescence in reducing long-term risk for postpartum mental health problems and (4) the protective nature of perceived social support, both preconception and postpartum, in strengthening relationship quality and social support during the COVID-19 pandemic. Assessments of ATPG3 families in preschool and middle childhood are currently funded and underway. We intend to maintain the offspring cohort through childhood, adolescence, young adulthood and into parenthood. Data will be used to map preconception determinants of emotional health, and enhance approaches to population monitoring and targeted intervention over the life course and across generations.
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 04-2005
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 26-11-2018
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 06-2020
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 04-2004
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 02-03-2023
DOI: 10.1111/FCRE.12714
Abstract: Conflicted parental separation is associated with risks to safety and wellbeing for all family members. The Family Law DOORS (FL‐DOORS Detection of Overall Risk Screen) is a standardized screening framework to assist identification, evaluation, and response to family safety risks. The FL‐DOORS has previously been validated in two large Australian s les ( N = 6089) and found fit‐for‐purpose as an indicator of family violence and wellbeing risks in separated families. Now, using pilot data from a community mediation context, we examine its utility as a repeated measure for detecting change in safety and wellbeing over time. A pilot cohort of 67 parents engaged in a mediation service for parenting and/or property disputes completed the FL‐DOORS at intake (T1) and approximately 8 weeks later (T2). We assessed T1‐T2 change scores and correlations in change between variables and used MANOVA to determine if clusters of related scales discriminated change across time. Findings support the psychometric capacity of the FL‐DOORS for use as a repeated measure in risk monitoring. We also note possible effects of this early screening process for reducing risk prior to engagement in mediation input. We discuss implementation utility for family law services to monitor change in risk type and magnitude over time.
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 19-12-2007
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 14-06-2021
Publisher: Cambridge University Press (CUP)
Date: 28-04-2020
DOI: 10.1017/S0033291720000902
Abstract: Rates of common mental health problems (depression/anxiety) rise sharply in adolescence and peak in young adulthood, often coinciding with the transition to parenthood. Little is known regarding the persistence of common mental health problems from adolescence to the perinatal period in both mothers and fathers. A total of 393 mothers (686 pregnancies) and 257 fathers (357 pregnancies) from the intergenerational Australian Temperament Project Generation 3 Study completed self-report assessments of depression and anxiety in adolescence (ages 13–14, 15–16, 17–18 years) and young adulthood (ages 19–20, 23–24, 27–28 years). The Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale was used to assess depressive symptoms at 32 weeks pregnancy and 12 months postpartum in mothers, and at 12 months postpartum in fathers. Most pregnancies (81%) in which mothers reported perinatal depression were preceded by a history of mental health problems in adolescence or young adulthood. Similarly, most pregnancies (83%) in which fathers reported postnatal depression were preceded by a preconception history of mental health problems. After adjustment for potential confounders, the odds of self-reporting perinatal depression in both women and men were consistently higher in those with a history of persistent mental health problems across adolescence and young adulthood than those without (OR women 5.7, 95% CI 2.9–10.9 OR men 5.5, 95% CI 1.03–29.70). Perinatal depression, for the majority of parents, is a continuation of mental health problems with onsets well before pregnancy. Strategies to promote good perinatal mental health should start before parenthood and include both men and women.
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 04-2008
Publisher: Frontiers Media SA
Date: 28-05-2021
DOI: 10.3389/FPSYG.2021.672174
Abstract: Background: When adolescent boys experience close, secure relationships with their parents and peers, the implications are potentially far reaching, including lower levels of mental health problems in adolescence and young adulthood. Here we use rare prospective intergenerational data to extend our understanding of the impact of adolescent attachments on subsequent postpartum mental health problems in early fatherhood. Methods: At age 17–18 years, we used an abbreviated Inventory of Parent and Peer Attachment to assess trust, communication, and alienation reported by 270 male participants in their relationships with mothers, fathers, and peers. More than a decade later, we assessed the adult males, now fathers, at 12 months postpartum ( N = 409 infant offspring) for symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress. Logistic regression was used to examine the extent to which attachment dimensions predicted paternal postpartum mental health, adjusting for potential confounding, and with assessment for interactions between parent and peer attachments. Results: Trust in mothers and peers, and good communication with fathers during adolescence, were associated with 5 to 7 percentage point reductions in postpartum mental health symptoms in early fatherhood. Weak evidence of parent-peer interactions suggested secure attachments with either parent or peer may compensate for an insecure attachment with the other. Conclusions: Our results suggest that fostering trust and communication in relationships that adolescent boys have with parents and peers may have substantial effects on rates of paternal postpartum mental health problems. The protective benefits may be preventative in intergenerational cycles of risk for mental health problems.
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 08-06-2012
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 08-2023
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 07-2011
Publisher: Public Library of Science (PLoS)
Date: 05-05-2023
DOI: 10.1371/JOURNAL.PONE.0283178
Abstract: Mental health policy and service design is increasingly recognizing the importance of the lived experience voice and its inclusion in all aspects of work. Effective inclusion requires a deeper understanding of how best to support lived experience workforce and community members to meaningfully participate in the system. This scoping review aims to identify key features of organizational practice and governance that facilitate the safe inclusion of lived experience in decision-making and practice within mental health sector contexts. Specifically, the review focuses on mental health organizations devoted to lived experience advocacy or peer support or those in which lived experience membership (paid or voluntary) is central to advocacy and peer support operations. This review protocol was prepared with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Protocols and registered with the Open Science Framework. The review will be guided by the Joanna Briggs Institute methodology framework and is being conducted by a multidisciplinary team including lived experience research fellows. It will include published and grey literature, including government reports, organizational online documents, and theses. Included studies will be identified through comprehensive searches of five databases: PsycINFO (Ovid), CINAHL (EBSCO), EMBASE (Ovid), MEDLINE (Ovid), and ProQuest Central. Studies published in English from 2000 onwards will be included. Data extraction will be guided by pre-determined extraction instruments. Results will be presented in a Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews flow chart. Results will be presented in tabular form and narratively synthesized. The planned commencement and completion dates for this review were July 1, 2022 and April 1, 2023. It is anticipated that this scoping review will map the current evidence base underpinning organizational practices in which lived experience workers are involved, specifically in the mental health system. It will also inform future mental health policy and research. Registration: Open Science Framework (registered: July 26, 2022 registration DOI: 10.17605/OSF.IO/NB3S5 ).
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 08-2103
DOI: 10.1093/JN/NXAC132
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 16-11-2017
DOI: 10.1080/14616734.2017.1401651
Abstract: This paper provides a meta-analytic examination of strength and direction of association between parents' couple relationship quality and early childhood attachment security (5 years and under). A comprehensive search of four EBSCOhost databases, Informit, Web of Science, and grey literature yielded 24 studies meeting eligibility criteria. Heterogeneity of the couple quality construct and measurement was marked. To disaggregate potentially differentially acting factors, we grouped homogeneous studies, creating two predictor variables defined as "positive dyadic adjustment" and "inter-parental conflict". Associations of each construct with offspring attachment security were examined in two separate meta-analyses. Inter-parental conflict was inversely associated (8 studies, k = 17, r = -0.28, CI = [-0.39 to -0.18]), and dyadic adjustment was not associated with offspring attachment security (5 studies, k = 12, r = 0.14, CI = [-0.03 to 0.32]). The study supports finer distinctions of couple relationship constructs and measurement in developmental research, assessment, and intervention.
Publisher: BMJ
Date: 08-2011
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 07-2011
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 07-03-2023
DOI: 10.1111/FARE.12867
Abstract: This mixed methods study sought to explore the lived experience of stress for parents of young dependent children during COVID‐19 lockdowns in Australia. Public health restrictions implemented during the COVID‐19 pandemic disproportionately burdened parents as they balanced novel and competing role demands. Despite growing research on impacts to parent mental health, much less is known about parenting at the experiential level during this period. Data were derived from free‐text survey responses collected during 2020 in an Australian population cohort study and analyzed in a mixed methods approach focusing on descriptive phenomenology. Twenty‐eight parent accounts of either ‘extreme’ or ‘minimal’ stress experiences were subject to phenomenological analysis of the in idual, interpersonal, and contextual factors associated with each stress category. Three themes defined ‘extreme’ stress experiences: inadequacy of resources to cope, perceived lack of control, and compounding stressors. Two themes characterized ‘minimal’ stress experiences: feeling well resourced to cope and the absence of significant disruption to everyday life. Findings highlight three targets in particular: compounding stressors, family relationships, and gendered differences in parental stress. Intervention efforts should focus on better resourcing parents experiencing accumulating stressors through provision of in idual and relational support and by addressing the higher burden experienced by mothers compared with fathers across pandemic related lockdowns.
Publisher: Cambridge University Press (CUP)
Date: 1990
DOI: 10.1017/S1035077200003138
Abstract: This paper provides a brief account of a group program developed by Alys Key Family Care for parents and pre-school children where the growth of a sound, nurturing relationship has been significantly impaired. HUGS is an acronym for “Happiness, Understanding, Giving and Sharing”. The program has the overall aim of fostering positive interaction, enjoyment and the development of a reciprocal caring, confident bond between parents and children. The group has been evolving since 1987, with many refinements in its conceptualisation along the way. The agency is currently producing a manual which describes in detail the rationale and operation of the program, pilot evaluations, HUGS activities and styles of intervention and support which seem particularly effective within the group.
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 07-2011
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 11-08-2022
DOI: 10.1111/CDEV.13839
Abstract: This study examined whether positive development (PD) in adolescence and young adulthood predicts offspring behavior in two Australasian intergenerational cohorts. The Australian Temperament Project Generation 3 Study assessed PD at age 19–28 (years 2002–2010) and behavior in 1165 infants (12–18 months 608 girls) of 694 Australian‐born parents (age 29–35 2012–2019 399 mothers). The Dunedin Multidisciplinary Health and Development Parenting Study assessed PD at age 15–18 (years 1987–1991) and behavior in 695 preschoolers (3–5 years 349 girls) and their New Zealand born parents (age 21–46 1994–2018 363 mothers 89% European ethnicity). In both cohorts, PD before parenthood predicted more positive offspring behavior ( β range = .11–.16) and fewer behavior problems ( β range = −.09 to −.11). Promoting strengths may secure a healthy start to life.
Publisher: Brill
Date: 10-06-2015
DOI: 10.1163/15691624-12341285
Abstract: This study explored the lived experience of security and contentment, and their absence, for latency-aged children (aged 8–12) living in shared-time parenting arrangements following their parents’ separation. A descriptive phenomenological methodology was utilized (Giorgi, 1985, 2009 Giorgi & Giorgi, 2003, 2008). Sixteen children living in shared-time were interviewed about their experiences of two phenomena: “feeling secure and content living in shared-time” and “not feeling secure and content living in shared-time.” The eight richest protocols were selected for analysis. The two resultant general structures and their core constituents are presented, and in idual variations discussed. Central to each phenomenon is the parent/s’ capacity, or incapacity, to create and sustain a physical and emotional space in which the child feels secure and held in the mind, feels the arrangements are responsive to their needs, feels free to access the “absent” parent, and experiences integration between the two parental homes. Implications for phenomenological human science research are considered, including the use of descriptive phenomenology with children.
Publisher: JMIR Publications Inc.
Date: 29-05-2023
Abstract: he COVID-19 pandemic has placed an additional mental health burden on in iduals and on families. Reviews of e-Mental Health platforms for in idual users suggest promise for improved accessibility and similar evidence of utility for dyadic or family use is growing. Attrition rates remain high for online mental health platforms and additional complexities exist when engaging multiple family members together online. his scoping review aimed to detail build and design characteristics that enable co-completion by families and discuss reported evidence for engagement and accessibility of platforms designed for such use. systematic literature search of MedLine, EMBASE, PsycINFO, Web of Science and CINAHL was conducted for articles published in English Language from 2002 to April 2023. Eligible records included empirical studies of digital platforms containing some elements designed for co-completion by related people as well as some components intended to be completed without therapist engagement. Platforms were included where clinical evidence had been documented. f the 8,399 papers reviewed, 74 met eligibility criteria. Nineteen unique platforms designed for relational co-use were identified. Relationships between participants included couples parent-child dyads family caregiver-care recipient dyads and families. Most platforms delivered structured programs, and delivery varied with regards to the prescribed nature of tasks, number of sessions, and access duration. Thirteen (13) programs had live contact with therapists. Few platforms offered any tailoring. User engagement indicators and findings varied and included user experience, satisfaction, completion rates and feasibility. No study examined platform build or design characteristics as moderators of intervention effect. No studies performed a formative evaluation of the platform itself, and few studies reported any design and build characteristics that enabled co-participation. n this early era of digital mental health platform design, this novel review demonstrates a striking absence of information about design elements associated with the successful engagement of multiple related users in the completion of a therapeutic process. There remains a large gap in the literature detailing and evaluating platform design and exists a significant opportunity for cross-disciplinary research. This review details the incentive for undertaking such research and offers recommendations for future development.
Publisher: Cambridge University Press (CUP)
Date: 17-04-2020
DOI: 10.1017/S095457941900172X
Abstract: Attachment disorganization in early childhood is an influential yet modifiable risk factor for later mental health problems. Beyond established transmission through parents’ unresolved attachment representations and caregiving sensitivity, little replicated evidence exists for wider determinants of offspring attachment disorganization. This study examined the replicated evidence for psychosocial risk factors in the preconception, prenatal, and postnatal periods. We identified all relevant longitudinal studies, and examined all risk relationships for which evidence existed in two or more cohorts (48 effects, 17 studies, N = 6,099). Study-specific and pooled risk associations were estimated and a range of moderators evaluated. Mothers’ low socioeconomic status (r = .28, k = 2), perinatal loss of a child (r = .26, k = 2), caregiving intrusiveness (r = .31, k = 2), and infant male sex (r = .26, k = 4) predicted offspring attachment disorganization. Maternal sensitivity (r = –.25, k = 6) and higher metacognition during pregnancy (r = –.23, k = 3) predicted lower risk of offspring attachment disorganization. Findings suggest the origins of offspring disorganized attachment include but extend beyond maternal unresolved attachment representations and caregiving. We discuss implications for theory and for identification of modifiable risk pathways in the perinatal window.
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 2021
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 10-2003
DOI: 10.5172/JFS.9.2.187
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 04-2003
DOI: 10.5172/JFS.9.1.63
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 10-2003
DOI: 10.5172/JFS.9.2.219
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 19-07-2022
DOI: 10.1111/MCN.13398
Abstract: A trial of three nutrition‐sensitive agriculture interventions with participatory videos and women's group meetings in rural Odisha, India, found improvements in maternal and child dietary ersity, limited effects on agricultural production, and no effects on women and children's nutritional status. Our process evaluation explored fidelity, reach, and mechanisms behind interventions' effects. We also examined how context affected implementation, mechanisms, and outcomes. We used data from intervention monitoring systems, review notes, trial surveys, 32 case studies with families ( n = 91 family members), and 20 group discussions with women's group members and intervention workers ( n = 181 and 32, respectively). We found that interventions were implemented with high fidelity. Groups reached around half of the mothers of children under 2 years. Videos and meetings increased women's knowledge, motivation and confidence to suggest or make changes to their diets and agricultural production. Families responded in erse ways. Many adopted or improved rainfed homestead garden cultivation for consumption, which could explain gains in maternal and child dietary ersity seen in the impact evaluation. Cultivation for income was less common. This was often due to small landholdings, poor access to irrigation and decision‐making dominated by men. Interventions helped change norms about heavy work during pregnancy, but young women with little family support still did considerable work. Women's ability to shape cultivation, income and workload decisions was strongly influenced by support from male relatives. Future nutrition‐sensitive agriculture interventions could include additional flexibility to address families’ land, water, labour and time constraints, as well as actively engage with spouses and in‐laws.
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 10-08-2020
Publisher: SAGE Publications
Date: 20-02-2016
Abstract: Among the research, practice and socio-legal commentary on the substantial sharing of parenting time after separation, children’s voices about their experiences remain overwhelmingly silent. This article draws on findings of a descriptive phenomenological study which investigated Australian school-aged (8- to 12-year-old) children’s descriptions of two binary phenomena: security and contentment in shared time arrangements, and the absence of security and contentment in shared time parenting. Specifically, this article focuses on exploring parental behaviours and interactions recognised by children as sources of security in shared time lifestyles, through happy and needy times. Central to this is the juxtaposition of the child’s experience of security and shared enjoyment with the present parent, against the absence of security emanating from unresolved longing for the ‘absent’ parent. The article provides an empirically derived formulation of children’s advice to parents about shared time parenting, with relevance for family law related parent education forums.
Publisher: Oxford University Press
Date: 02-2016
Publisher: American Psychological Association (APA)
Date: 08-2018
DOI: 10.1037/PAS0000581
Abstract: Conflicted parental separation is associated with escalating risks to wellbeing and safety for all family members. The Family Law DOORS (FL-DOORS, Detection Of Overall Risk Screen) is a three-part framework designed to assist frontline workers to identify, evaluate, and respond to these risks in separated families. The FL-DOORS system includes a 10-domain parent self-report screening measure, covering child and parent wellbeing, cultural and social risks, and safety risks experienced by and initiated by each parent. A first validation study of this screen was conducted with the first 660 separated parents to complete the measure at a frontline community agency, and found robust psychometric properties (McIntosh, Wells, & Lee, 2016). This paper presents a revalidation study of FL-DOORS screening measure with a new cohort of 5,429 separated parents, including 1,642 pairs. Our aim was to evaluate whether FL-DOORS was fit for the purpose of indicating a range of safety and wellbeing risks in separated families. We repeated internal scale reliability and concurrent and external criterion validity analyses. Original subscales were largely confirmed, and validity analyses were extended through a Multi-Trait Multi-Method (MTMM) approach. In this second larger cohort, the FL-DOORS screen was again found fit-for-purpose as an indicator of domestic violence and wellbeing risks in separated families. (PsycINFO Database Record
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 04-2014
DOI: 10.1111/FCRE.12088
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 04-2014
DOI: 10.1111/FCRE.12087
Publisher: CSIRO Publishing
Date: 18-11-2022
DOI: 10.1071/AH22187
Abstract: This case study describes the development and implementation of a replicable early assessment and referral service for mothers experiencing minority group disadvantage and family violence in the perinatal period. The service aims to mitigate harms for at-risk mother-infant dyads that can lead to involvement in statutory child protection systems. In doing this, the service follows a culturally safe, restorative practice approach to supporting vulnerable families, which emphasises the relationship between worker and client to create a nurturing environment for change. The service model has been developed and refined since 2018 to now, involving stakeholders from the service team, the not-for-profit community organisation, and a university partner organisation, who provided evidence enrichment and support for clinical skill development. To date: the model has provided practitioners with structured and evidence-based ways of creating shared understandings with clients to prioritise cultural and relational needs achieved culturally safe ways of engaging with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and Culturally and Linguistically Diverse families improved practitioners’ confidence in detecting risk in parent-infant relationships promoted effective communications with external providers and enhanced therapeutic outcomes for vulnerable families at risk of entry into statutory child protection systems. The model may be suitable for uptake by practitioners and services seeking to improve cultural safety and therapeutic outcomes for erse and vulnerable families. We share reflections on the scope and function of the model of care with reference to potential for broader application.
Publisher: Frontiers Media SA
Date: 12-05-2023
DOI: 10.3389/FPUBH.2023.1128768
Abstract: Past research has shown that Australians affected by miscarriage want a website specific to both miscarriage and their local region that is accessible, comprehensive, evidence-based and informed by experts. The aim of this study was to design, develop and evaluate the Miscarriage Australia website using human centered design. A four stage human centered design approach was used to develop the Miscarriage Australia website which aimed to: (1) Understand the issue and why users need a website (2) Define users’ specific needs (3) Design solutions to meet those needs and (4) Evaluate the design by testing with end users. Across the four stages, various types of data and data analysis were developed and utilized including interviews, desktop research, development of personas and tone of voice, followed by usability testing. Process and content were guided by designers, developers and an expert advisory committee of key stakeholders. Analysis and synthesis of user research across Stages 1 and Stage 2 found 11 key themes pertaining to user’s miscarriage experiences and support needs. Using the themes, common experiences, goals, motivations and behaviors of users were identified and similar user types grouped and used to inform the development of two personas. Using the personas and user research findings, design elements (Stage 3) including the “tone of voice guidelines” were developed recommending the Miscarriage Australia website be calm, empathetic, hopeful and authoritative. The tone of voice guidelines guided branding and over 100 pages of content was informed by the research team and reviewed by a 13-member Expert Clinical Advisory Committee over two rounds to ensure it was evidence based and reflected best practice. Using a contextual inquiry approach, usability testing was undertaken with 8 end users to test a low fidelity mockup and high-fidelity prototype of the website. Overall, end users reported the website was highly acceptable in terms of the design, content, layout, language and terminology, describing it in line with the intended tone of voice. Users reported the website was easy to use and navigate and provided useful and appropriate content and resources. Minor areas for improvement included slight changes to specific images, improved links for navigating sections, and a title change to one section heading. The Miscarriage Australia website was successfully implemented and commended by users as meeting their needs. As a result of using human centered design, the Miscarriage Australia website provides an ideal template or blueprint on how to develop a successful and useful digital resource for users, particularly around sensitive women’s health issues.
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 07-2011
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 05-2006
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 07-2011
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 07-2009
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 27-07-2023
DOI: 10.1111/JCPP.13865
Abstract: Here, we report new prevalence and temporal stability data for child attachment and parental caregiving behaviour, from infancy (1 year) to preschool (4 years). Attachment (SSP) and caregiving data (MBQS) were from observations of parents and their infants and preschoolers, who represent the third generation of participants within an Australian longitudinal cohort. At 1 year ( n = 314 dyads) and at 4 years ( n = 368 dyads), proportions assessed secure were 59% and 71%, respectively. Proportions assessed avoidant were 15% and 11% ambivalent 9% and 6%, and disorganised 17% and 12%, at 1 and 4 years. Continuity of attachment pattern was highest for the infant secure group. Of dyads initially classified disorganised in infancy, 36% remained so at the preschool assessment. Attachment and caregiving continuities across the infancy–preschool period were highest for the stable secure attachment group and lowest for the stable insecure attachment group. Loss of secure attachment to mother by age 4 years correlated with decreased maternal caregiving sensitivity, and acquisition of secure status by age 4 was associated with increased maternal sensitivity. We found no difference in caregiving sensitivity scores for mothers and fathers for female and male preschool children. The contemporary infant and preschool attachment proportions we report here closely mirror the patterns of those reported in prior decades, with an inclination towards secure base relationships. Our findings alert practitioners anew to the responsiveness of early attachment status to change in caregiving responsiveness and support ongoing investment in early identification of disorganised attachment.
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 27-10-2020
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 25-01-2021
Start Date: 2018
End Date: 2020
Funder: Australian Research Council
View Funded ActivityStart Date: 2016
End Date: 2018
Funder: Australian Research Council
View Funded ActivityStart Date: 2013
End Date: 2015
Funder: Australian Research Council
View Funded ActivityStart Date: 2020
End Date: 2023
Funder: Victorian Government Department of Justice and Community Safety
View Funded Activity