The role of adult facilitators in arts-based extracurricular settings: Perceived factors for success of adult-youth relationships.

Extracurricular arts programmes and supportive adult relationships provide youth with opportunities for positive development, however, more research about how relationships within these programmes develop and what factors and practices adults use to guide their work would help to improve youth programmes' outcomes. Eight Film Club facilitators at an after-school film-making club for students in grades 5 through 8 were interviewed about their perceived their role and what practices they successfully utilised. The semistructured interviews were then thematically analysed. Facilitators perceived the development of authentic and supportive relationships provided a foundation for meaningful learning. Rather than being directive, the facilitators had a collaborative approach to engagement, which allowed for social and emotional learning opportunities and established youth agency. Relationships within creative extracurricular spaces, which are youth-led and include supportive adult facilitators may provide young people with valuable opportunities for social, emotional and identity development.

Exploring the impact of a large gender-sensitised health promotion program: the Sons of the West program.

AIM: Evaluation of the outcomes of gender-sensitised programs that target men with poor health behaviours is lacking. The purpose of this study was to provide an understanding of the psychosocial changes related to participation in the Sons of the West (SOTW) men's health promotion program run by the Western Bulldogs Community Foundation. METHODS: All men who participated in SOTW during 2017 were asked to complete surveys at the beginning and end of the program. The surveys were quantitative measures of psychological wellbeing (Kessler Psychological Distress Scale, K10), social connectedness and loneliness (UCLA Loneliness Scale, UCLA-L), and resilience (Brief Resilience Scale, BRS). In addition, we analysed participants' responses to an offer within the program to provide psychological support to any participant in need. Men were provided with a participant code so that data could be matched at the beginning and end of the program. RESULTS: A high participation rate (776/1003) was achieved. There were statistically significant improvements in mean K10 scores from pre- (population mean [M] = 17.34; standard deviation [SD] = 6.98) to post-program (M = 14.98; SD = 6.27), and for matched samples (p < 0.001). Matched samples also showed significant improvements in mean UCLA-L scores from pre- (M = 38.58; SD = 10.87) to post-program (M = 37.42; SD = 10.87), and mean BRS scores from pre- (M = 3.44; SD = 0.79) to post-program (M = 3.62; SD = 0.74). Results from the psychological help-seeking question showed that one-third of participants were open to the concept of receiving additional psychological support. CONCLUSIONS: This preliminary data shows that a broad-ranging, gender-sensitised health promotion program can have a significant effect on psychosocial health of male participants. The findings provide insights for future research, and suggest the program has potential for generalisation to other populations.

Gambling problems among military personnel after deployment.

Military and veteran populations may exhibit heightened vulnerability to gambling problems; however, there is scant relevant evidence outside the US, and few studies of transition periods, including return from operational deployment. The aim of this study was thus to highlight the extent, risk-factors, and implications of gambling problems among current members of the Australian Defence Force (ADF) following deployment to the Middle East Area of Operations (MEAO). It involved analyses of data from n = 1324 ADF personnel who deployed between 2010 and 2012, and completed surveys within four months of returning to Australia. The Problem Gambling Severity Index (PGSI) identified Problem Gambling (PG: PGSI ≥5) and At-Risk Gambling (ARG: PGSI 1-4), alongside measures of Depression (PHQ-9), Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PCL-C), alcohol use problems (AUDIT), distress (K10), and post-deployment stressors. Analyses indicated that 7.7% of personnel reported at least some gambling problems post-deployment, including 2.0% that were distinguished by PG, and 5.7% indicating ARG. These figures were comparable to conditions including probable depression and alcohol dependence, while levels of any gambling problems were high relative to harmful drinking. Higher levels were observed among personnel who were aged 18-24, reported 0-4 years of military service, served in the Army, and comprised Non-Commissioned Officers/Other Ranks. There were strong associations with gambling problems and various indicators of mental health and wellbeing, and self-reported post-deployment difficulties. The findings indicate that gambling problems are salient concerns for some Australian military personnel post-deployment, and highlight the need for increased recognition and responses to these problems.

Fostering mental health and well-being among workers who support refugees and asylum seekers in the Australian context.

Therapists and counsellors who provide trauma-focussed therapy and support to refugees and asylum seekers are often exposed to distressing and confronting stories of war, violence, torture, loss and grief, and other atrocities. In addition to this, working within an immigration and detention context has been reported to further contribute to experiences of burnout, vicarious trauma, and other adverse consequences of working with traumatised populations. There is a scarcity of research seeking to understand how therapists address these difficulties and maintain well-being to help them continue in this field of work. This mixed-methods research aimed to identify and explore factors associated with mental health and well-being among workers, with a particular focus on the role of clinical supervision. Participants were staff (n = 50) who identified as providing therapeutic support to refugees and asylum seekers either in Australia or in Australian-run detention facilities. Participants took part in an anonymous online survey which focussed on the psychological impact of their work, professional quality of life, and clinical supervision and incorporated free-text items. Thematic analysis of free-text data revealed four themes related to maintaining well-being at work including relationships and support seeking; physical and contemplative practices; professional growth; and balance and boundaries. Results from the quantitative analyses revealed several variables related to supervision that were important for well-being. In particular, the findings suggest that rapport and overall alliance with one's clinical supervisor are protective of secondary traumatic stress and depression, respectively. Important aspects of supervision were also explored in greater depth through qualitative and quantitative inquiry, increasing our understanding of the mechanisms underlying the relationship between clinical supervision and mental health and well-being for this group.

Y Model Psychotherapy Training: A Qualitative Investigation of Students' Experiences.

This article reports on a research project investigating psychology graduate students' experiences of Y model psychotherapy training at an Australian university. Focus group interviews were conducted with clinical psychology students (N=20), and thematic analysis was used to capture core aspects of their training experience. Participants felt that the dual training in cognitive-behavioral therapy and psychodynamic therapy gave them a significant advantage over students trained in only a single approach. Notwithstanding the perceived benefits of their training, participants emphasized how intellectually and emotionally demanding it was. Students struggled to shift between therapeutic orientations, both in learning about and conducting different therapies and in accommodating differing supervisory expectations. Psychodynamic therapy was viewed as the most conceptually, technically, and personally challenging component to learn, but also as the most enriching. Despite the emphasis the students placed on the psychodynamic arm of the Y model training, participants reported a variety of therapeutic identity positions, and most maintained a flexible view of how they would practice therapeutically.

Contribution of military psychology in supporting those in rural and remote work environments.

CONTEXT: This article explores the relevance of the body of military psychology knowledge to the management and support of those living and working in rural/remote industries and locations, particularly within Australia. ISSUES: For those who live and work in rural/remote settings, there are social, occupational, health and environmental challenges. Some of these are shared with families and individuals who are associated with military life. The published literature on the shared attributes between military and rural/remote work environments rarely makes a direct link. However, looking at both areas suggests opportunities for the application of psychological knowledge in the well-developed field of military psychology to the rural/remote setting. This article focuses on application of psychological knowledge in the areas of occupational performance, fatigue, mental health, family care and in the training of psychologists to work in rural/remote areas. LESSONS LEARNED: The cross-pollination of knowledge between those working with military personnel and family and those working in rural/remote settings should allow practitioners greater opportunities to improve health and wellbeing outcomes in these communities.

Heparin cofactor II in atherosclerotic lesions from the Pathobiological Determinants of Atherosclerosis in Youth (PDAY) study.

Heparin cofactor II (HCII) is a serine protease inhibitor (serpin) that has been shown to be a predictor of decreased atherosclerosis in the elderly and protective against atherosclerosis in mice. HCII inhibits thrombin in vitro and HCII-thrombin complexes have been detected in human plasma. Moreover, the mechanism of protection against atherosclerosis in mice was determined to be the inhibition of thrombin. Despite this evidence, the presence of HCII in human atherosclerotic tissue has not been reported. In this study, using samples of coronary arteries obtained from the Pathobiological Determinants of Atherosclerosis in Youth (PDAY) study, we explore the local relationship between HCII and (pro)thrombin in atherosclerosis. We found that HCII and (pro)thrombin are co-localized in the lipid-rich necrotic core of atheromas. A significant positive correlation between each protein and the severity of the atherosclerotic lesion was present. These results suggest that HCII is in a position to inhibit thrombin in atherosclerotic lesions where thrombin can exert a proatherogenic inflammatory response. However, these results should be tempered by the additional findings from this, and other studies, that indicate the presence of other plasma proteins (antithrombin, albumin, and alpha(1)-protease inhibitor) in the same localized region of the atheroma.