Towards an integration of the theory of planned behaviour and cognitive behavioural strategies : an example from a school-based injury prevention programme

Adolescent risk-taking behavior has potentially serious injury consequences and school-based behavior change programs provide potential for reducing such harm. A well-designed program is likely to be theory-based and ecologically valid however it is rare that the operationalisation process of theories is described. The aim of this paper is to outline how the Theory of Planned Behavior and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy informed intervention design in a school setting. Teacher interviews provided insights into strategies that might be implemented within the curriculum and provided detail used to operationalise theory constructs. Benefits and challenges in applying both theories are described with examples from an injury prevention program, Skills for Preventing Injury in Youth.

Transport injury risks in Queensland adolescents of Pacific Islander descent

Ethnicity is rarely considered in the development of injury prevention programs, despite its known impact on participation in risk behaviour. This study sought to understand engagement in transport related risk behaviours, patterns of injury and perceptions of risk among early adolescents who self-identify as being from a Pacific Islander background. In total 5 high schools throughout Queensland, Australia were recruited, of which 498 Year 9 students (13-14 years) completed questionnaires relating to their perceptions of risk and recent injury experience (specifically those transport behaviours that were medically treated and those that were not medically treated). The transport related risk behaviours captured in the survey were bicycle use, motorcycle use and passenger safety (riding with a drink driver and riding with a dangerous driver). The results are explored in terms of the prevalence of engagement in risky transport related behaviour among adolescents’ of Pacific Islander background compared to others of the same age. The results of this study provide an initial insight into the target participants’ perspective of risk in a road safety context as well as their experience of such behaviour and related injuries. This information may benefit future intervention programs specific to adolescents’ of Pacific Islander background.

Development of an innovative technology-based youth passenger safety program : an evidence-based approach

Young drivers are overrepresented in motor vehicle crash rates, and their risk increases when carrying similar aged passengers. Graduated Driver Licensing strategies have demonstrated effectiveness in reducing fatalities among young drivers, however complementary approaches may further reduce crash rates. Previous studies conducted by the researchers have shown that there is considerable potential for a passenger focus in youth road safety interventions, particularly involving the encouragement of young passengers to intervene in their peers’ risky driving (Buckley, Chapman, Sheehan & Davidson, 2012). Additionally, this research has shown that technology-based applications may be a promising means of delivering passenger safety messages, particularly as young people are increasingly accessing web-based and mobile technologies. This research describes the participatory design process undertaken to develop a web-based road safety program, and involves feasibility testing of storyboards for a youth passenger safety application. Storyboards and framework web-based materials were initially developed for a passenger safety program, using the results of previous studies involving online and school-based surveys with young people. Focus groups were then conducted with 8 school staff and 30 senior school students at one public high school in the Australian Capital Territory. Young people were asked about the situations in which passengers may feel unsafe and potential strategies for intervening in their peers’ risky driving. Students were also shown the storyboards and framework web-based material and were asked to comment on design and content issues. Teachers were also shown the material and asked about their perceptions of program design and feasibility. The focus group data will be used as part of the participatory design process, in further developing the passenger safety program. This research describes an evidence-based approach to the development of a web-based application for youth passenger safety. The findings of this research and resulting technology will have important implications for the road safety education of senior high school students.

Injury prevention among friends : the benefits of school connectedness

Background: Injury is a leading cause of adolescent death. Risk-taking behaviours, including unsafe road behaviours, violence and alcohol use, are primary contributors. Recent research suggests adolescents look out for their friends and engage in protective behaviour to reduce others’ involvement in risk-taking. A positive school environment, and particularly students’ school connectedness, is also associated with reduced injury-risks. Aim: This study aimed to understand the role of school connectedness in adolescents’ intentions to protect and prevent their friends from involvement in alcohol use, fights, drink driving and unlicensed driving. Method: Surveys were completed by 540 13-14 year old students (49% male). Four sequential logistic regression analyses were conducted to determine whether school connectedness statistically predicted intentions to protect friends from injury-risk behaviours. Gender and ethnicity were entered at step 1, students’ own risk behaviour at step 2, and school connectedness scores at step 3 for all analyses. Results: School connectedness significantly predicted intentions to protect friends from all four injury-risk behaviours, after accounting for the variance attributable to sex, ethnicity and adolescents’ own involvement in injury-risks. Significance: School connectedness is negatively associated with adolescents’ own injury-risk behaviours. This research extends our knowledge of this critical protective factor, as it shows that students who are connected to school are also more likely to protect their friends from alcohol use, violence and unsafe road behaviours. School connectedness may therefore be an important factor to target in school-based prevention programs, both to reduce adolescents’ own injury-risk behaviour and to increase injury prevention among friends.

Development of a school connectedness component of an adolescent injury prevention program : lessons for implementation

The school environment plays an important role in shaping adolescent outcomes, and research increasingly demonstrates the need to target the school social context in health promotion programs. This paper describes the research process undertaken to design a school connectedness component of an injury prevention program for early adolescents, Skills for Preventing Injury in Youth (SPIY). The connectedness component takes the form of a professional development workshop for teachers on increasing students’ connectedness to school, and this paper describes the research process used to construct program material. It also describes the methods used to encourage teachers’ implementation of connectedness strategies following program delivery. A multi-stage process of data collection included, (i) surveys with 540 Grade 9 students to examine links between school connectedness and risk-related injury, (ii) a systematic literature review of previously-evaluated school connectedness programs to determine key strategies that encourage implementation fidelity and program effectiveness, and (iii) interviews with 14 high school teachers to understand current use of connectedness strategies and ideas for program design. Findings from each stage are discussed in terms of how results informed the program design. The survey data provided information from which to frame program content, and the results of the systematic review demonstrated effective program strategies. The teacher interview data also provided program content incorporating target participants’ views and aligning with their priorities, which is important to ensure effective implementation of program strategies. A comprehensive design process provides an understanding of methods for, and may encourage, teachers’ future implementation of program strategies.

Reaching high-risk adolescents : a process evaluation of a school based injury prevention program

High-risk adolescents are a population most vulnerable to harm from injury due to increased engagement in risk taking behaviour. There is a gap in the literature regarding how universal school based injury prevention programs apply to high-risk adolescents. This study involves a component of the process evaluation of a school based injury prevention program, as it relates to high-risk adolescents (13-14 years)...

Reducing road related injuries for young adolescents : an investigation of truancy as a risk factor

Truancy is recognised as an indicator of engagement in high-risk behaviours for adolescents. Injuries from road related risk behaviours continue to be a leading cause of death and disability for early adolescents (13-14 years). The aim of this research is to determine the extent to which truancy relates to increased risk of road related injuries for early adolescents. Four hundred and twenty-seven Year 9 students (13-14 years) from five high schools in Queensland, Australia, completed a questionnaire about their perceptions of risk and recent injury experience. Self-reported injuries were assessed by the Extended Adolescent Injury Checklist (E-AIC). Injuries resulting from motorcycle use, bicycle use, vehicle use (as passenger or driver), and as a pedestrian were measured for the preceding three months. Students were also asked to indicate whether they sought medical attention for their injuries. Truancy rates were assessed from self-reported skipping class or wagging school over the same three month period. The findings explore the relationship between early adolescent truancy and road related injuries. The relationship between road related injuries and truancy was analysed separately for males and females. Results of this study revealed that road related injuries and reports of associated medical treatment are higher for young people who engage in truancy when compared with non-truant adolescents. The results of this study contribute knowledge about truancy as a risk factor for engagement in road related risks. The findings have the potential to enhance school policies and injury prevention programs if emphasis is placed on increasing school attendance as a safety measure to decrease road related injuries for young adolescents.

Compass points : the locations, landscapes and coordinates of identities in contemporary performance making : proceedings of the Australasian Association for Theatre, Drama & Performance Studies (ADSA) Conference 2012

Compass Points: The Locations, Landscapes and Coordinates of Identities' the Australasian Association for Theatre, Drama and Performance Studies (ADSA) Conference 2012 was held at Queensland University of Technology, July 3-6 2012. The Conference was sponsored by the Australasian Association for Theatre, Drama and Performance Studies (ADSA), Queensland University of Technology (QUT), Ian Potter Foundation, Arts Queensland, La Boite Theatre Company and Queensland Theatre Company. The papers selected for this collection represent a small sample of the scope, depth and diversity of scholarship presented at the conference - they cover a range of genres, cultures and contexts in contemporary performance making from autobiography, to playwrighting, to public space performance and beyond. The papers collected have been peer-reviewed to Australia’s Department of Education, Science and Training (DEST) standards - each has been subject to two blind reviews, followed by acceptance, rejection or revision, and editing of accepted papers - by colleagues from Australasia and overseas. The review process for the conference publication was separate from the review process for acceptance of abstracts for the actual conference presentations. The conference convenors, Bree Hadley and Caroline Heim, edited the collection, and would like to thank all those who gave their time to advise on the peer review process and act as reviewers - Tom Burvill, Christine Comans, Sean Edgecomb, Angela Campbell, Natalie Lazaroo, Jo Loth, Meg Mumford, Ulrike Garde, Laura Ginters, Andre Bastian, Sam Trubridge, Delyse Ryan, Georgia Seffrin, Gillian Arrighi, Rand Hazou, Rob Pensalfini, Sue Fenty-Studham, Mark Radvan, Rob Conkie, Kris Plummer, Lisa Warrington, Kate Flaherty, Bryoni Tresize, Janys Hayes, Lisa Warrington, Teresa Izzard, Kim Durban, Veronica Kelly, Adrian Keirnander, James Davenport, Julie Robson and others. We, and the authors, appreciate the rigour and care with which peers have approached the scholarship presented here. This collection was published in final form on July 3rd 2012, the first day of the ADSA Conference 2012.

Complicated working time arrangements : construction industry case study

This paper extends the understanding of working-time changes and work-life balance (WLB) through analyzing a case study where a reduction in working hours designed to assist the workforce in balancing work and nonwork life was implemented. An alliance project in the Australian construction industry was established initially with a 5-day working week, a departure from the industry-standard 6-day week. However, a range of factors complicated the success of this initiative, and the industry-standard 6-day working week was reinstated for the project. The authors argue that this case is valuable in determining the complex mix of influences that work against a wholesale or straightforward adoption of working-time adjustments and work-life balance practices. It is concluded that although the prevailing workplace culture is considered an important factor in the determination of working time, structural and workplace principles and practices may also be critical in working to secure the successful introduction of working-time reduction and work-life balance initiatives in the construction industry in the future.

Young citizens, values and new/s media

The adaptation of market segmentation to political communication is identified here as a neglected explanation for why young people often figure in popular political debates as both the cause and symptom of declining social values and civic participation. New media also contribute to public anxiety because they enable new forms of mediated civic engagement and disrupt the capacity of transmission media to bind nations. Declining engagement with news media is used as an index of young peoples' lack of civic-mindedness but, as research surveyed and reported here shows, this trend away from orthodox news forms is apparent across all age groups, not just youth. This article makes the case for public debate, informed by research that addresses the substantive problems of transforming democracy.

Executive function development and stress effects on driving performance : preliminary findings from a young adult sample.

This chapter presents a pilot study examining the interactive contributions of executive function development/impairment and psychosocial stress to young adults’ (17-30 years old) driving behaviour in a simulator city scenario.

Motorcycle Safety Research Project Interim Summary Report Research Deliverable 1: Investigate and Develop a Pre-learner Motorcycle Licensing Package

Motorcycle trauma is a serious road safety issue in Queensland and throughout Australia. In 2009, Queensland Transport (later Transport and Main Roads or TMR) appointed CARRS-Q to provide a three-year program of Road Safety Research Services for Motorcycle Rider Safety. Funding for this research originated from the Motor Accident Insurance Commission. This program of research was undertaken to produce knowledge to assist TMR to improve motorcycle safety by further strengthening the licensing and training system to make learner riders safer by developing a pre-learner package (Deliverable 1 which is the focus of this report), and by evaluating the Q-Ride CAP program to ensure that it is maximally effective and contributes to the best possible training for new riders (Deliverable 2), which is the focus of this report. Deliverable 3 of the program identified potential new licensing components that will reduce the incidence of risky riding and improve higher-order cognitive skills in new riders. While fatality and injury rates for learner car drivers are typically lower than for those with intermediate licences, this pattern is not found for learner motorcycle riders. Learner riders cannot be supervised as effectively as learner car drivers and errors are more likely to result in injury for learner riders than learner drivers. It is therefore imperative to improve safety for learner riders. Deliverable 1 examines the potential for improving the motorcycle learner and licence scheme by introducing a pre-learner motorcycle licensing and training scheme within Queensland. The tasks undertaken for Deliverable 1 were a literature review, analysis of learner motorcyclist crash and licensing data, and the development of a potential pre-learner motorcycle rider program.

Protective factors associated with young passenger intervening in risky driving situations

While the negative influence of passengers on driving is usually studied, young passengers may protect against young drivers’ crash involvement by speaking out and trying to stop unsafe driving behavior. This study sought to examine psychosocial constructs of young passengers who are likely to intervene in their friends’ risky driving. Method: University students aged 17 to 25 years who were single (n = 123) or in a romantic relationship (n = 130) completed an online survey measuring protective factors. Results: The combination of individual, friend and (for participants in a relationship) romantic partner protective factors predicted self-reported passenger intervening intentions. Impact on Industry: Since peer passengers often increase young drivers’ crash risk, research on passenger intervening has significant implications for road safety strategies. The findings provide support for the operationalization of protective factors in strategies that target passenger intervening behavior.

A psychosocial model of young adult passengers’ intervening in unsafe driving of their friends

Young adults are over-represented in motor vehicle crashes and the carrying of same passengers puts them at greater risk of crashing. The current study examined characteristics of the passengers who might play a positive role in reducing friends’ crashes by actively engaging in strategies to protect such friends. A psychosocial theoretical model of prosocial behavior including self-process and contextual cues explained intervening behavior among primarily novice driver college students (n=242) with the exception of the self-process, perspective taking. The results of this study provide support for countermeasure development that accounts for the positive role of peers to increase road safety, and reduce the incidence of crashes, among young adults.

Motorcycle Rider Safety Project Summary Report

Motorcycle trauma is a serious issue in Queensland and throughout Australia; the fatality rate per 100 million kilometres travelled for motorcycle riders in Australia is nearly 30 times the rate for drivers of other vehicles (Australian Transport Safety Bureau, 2002). In 2009, the then Queensland Transport (later the Department of Transport and Main Roads or TMR) appointed CARRS-Q to provide a three-year program of Road Safety Research Services for Motorcycle Rider Safety. Funding for this research originated from the Motor Accident Insurance Commission. This program of research was undertaken to produce knowledge to assist TMR to improve motorcycle safety by further strengthening the licensing and training system to make learner riders safer by developing a pre-learner package (Deliverable 1), and by evaluating the Q-Ride CAP program to ensure that it is maximally effective and contributes to the best possible training for new riders (Deliverable 2), and identifying potential new licensing components that will reduce the incidence of risky riding and improve higher-order cognitive skills in new riders (Deliverable 3).