Support for gay men: an Australian study.

Recently, research in the U.S.A. has shown that women, and young people in particular, have become increasingly supportive of gay men. The current study used a cross-sectional, correlational design to investigate these same issues in Australia. The sample included 575 heterosexual participants, 184 men and 390 women. Because a literature search failed to identify an Australian measure of support for gay men, a Support for Gay Men Scale was developed by the researchers. Multiple regression analyses were used to investigate whether scores on the Brief Multidimensional Measure of Religiousness/Spirituality and the respondents' sex predicted scores on the Support for Gay Men subscales, and the strength of these relationships. Findings reveal that this relatively young university undergraduate Australian sample indicated they strongly supported gay men.

The association of Aß amyloid and composite cognitive measures in healthy older adults and MCI.

BACKGROUND: To date evidence of the relationship between cognition and Aß amyloid during the early stages of Alzheimer's Disease (AD) has been inconsistent. This study aimed to describe the nature and magnitude of the relationship between Aß amyloid and cognitive performance of individuals without dementia. METHODS: Composite cognitive measures were developed from the Australian Imaging Biomarkers and Lifestyle study neuropsychological test battery using data from 768 healthy older adults and 133 adults with mild cognitive impairment (MCI). A subgroup of this sample (174 healthy, 53 MCI) underwent neuroimaging for Aß amyloid. RESULTS: Within the MCI group individuals with high Aß amyloid showed selective impairment for memory compared with those with low Aß amyloid; however, this difference was not evident in the healthy group. CONCLUSIONS: The current findings provide further evidence of the relationship between Aß amyloid and cognition, with memory impairment being the primary symptom of the underlying disease during the prodromal phases of AD.

"Everything was stuck in my inside and I just wanted to get it out": Psychological distress, coping, and help-seeking for young adult Australian Hazaras from refugee backgrounds.

Hazaras form an Afghan ethnic minority group in Australia who arrived as refugees and through humanitarian resettlement schemes over the past three decades. This qualitative study explored psychological distress in a community sample of young adult Hazaras with a refugee background. The aim was to contribute to a more detailed understanding of their mental health, coping, and help-seeking in Australia. Eighteen Hazaras, nine males and nine females aged 18-30 years (M = 22.39, SD = 3.35), in Perth, Melbourne, or Sydney, who had been living in Australia on average 7.17 years (range 1 to 16 years), participated in a semi-structured interview based on Kleinman's explanatory model framework. Participants described mental and physical health as interconnected and their explanatory models for psychological distress focused on their current difficult life experiences as refugees. Findings indicated noteworthy gender differences, with young women reporting less distress associated with adaptation than did young men. Some young people used positive coping strategies in the community, while others engaged with a variety of mental health services. Level of satisfaction with these services varied considerably, with satisfaction highest for services provided by multicultural centers. Generally, respondents were not focused on their past traumas, but more interested in planning for their futures in Australia. Key implications for culturally appropriate training and specialized interventions for use with young adult Hazaras from refugee backgrounds are discussed.

An exploration of the Adaptation and Development after Persecution (ADAPT) model with young adult Hazaras from refugee backgrounds in Australia.

Despite the fact that Australia has an emerging population of young adult Hazaras who arrived on humanitarian visas or who hail from a refugee background, few studies have documented their settlement experiences and psychosocial development. This study explored the resettlement experiences and adaptation of young Hazaras from refugee backgrounds. Eighteen Hazaras of refugee background, 9 males and 9 females aged 18 to 30 years (M = 22.39, SD = 3.35) who had been living in Australia for 7.17 years on average (range = 1 to 16 years), participated in a semi-structured interview based on the ADAPT model. Results demonstrated the usefulness of the ADAPT model for understanding these young people's settlement experiences in a high-income urban environment. Family, friend, and teacher attachments were important for their adaptation, highlighting the importance of promoting positive social networks for these young people. Results were also interpreted using Erikson's psychosocial stages for adolescence and young adulthood. Findings suggested that, while the young people were more focused on their future than on their past, until the psychosocial stage for adolescence is achieved, unresolved issues may continue into young adulthood. Analyses also revealed gender differences in adaptive systems and psychosocial development. Future research recommendations are made to enable the development of individualised approaches that better foster positive adaptation and psychosocial development.