Family violence happens to everybody: gender, mental health and violence in Australian media representations of filicide 2010–2014

This discussion of three cases of filicide reported and reviewed extensively by the Australian news media between 2010 and 2014 is concerned with the politics of representation and its links to material violence. Moving through the architecture of the coverage rather than focusing on it this article observes popular, if mostly tacit, assumptions about masculinity and femininity in representing ‘family violence’. It locates coverage patterns to illustrate perceptions of violence against women and children and inaccurate stereotyping of such family violence as the extraordinary consequences of mental illness, which are mostly reproduced by the Australian media. It is suggested that such media representations are part of a downplaying of family violence as a public issue of urgency.

Towards critical social work practice in mental health: a review

Progressive social work perspectives that draw on both critical theories and postmodern thought, provide highly relevant and appropriate frameworks to inform social work practice in the mental health field. Despite this, the literature overviewed indicates that the majority of social work practice conducted in mental health settings reflects an uncritical embrace of the medical model of psychiatric illness, and therefore largely neglects social work approaches which utilize critical principles. The following article explores the possibilities for applying a critical model of social work practice to the mental health field, and argues the necessity for social workers to actively engage with critical practice, even in medically dominated settings, to effectively work towards the espoused social justice ethics and mission of the social work profession.

The contribution of psychological assessment to community mental health services

Specialist psychological assessment plays a potentially important role in multidisciplinary community mental health settings. This portfolio describes and evaluates this psychological assessment and provides four case studies.

Dialectical behavior therapy in community mental health settings : an evaluation

Borderline personality disorder causes extreme and enduring suffering. Dialectical Behavior Therapy is a psychological intervention that has been developed to treat the disorder. Two studies were conducted to test the effectiveness of the treatment. Results showed that borderline personality disorder can be treated effectively in the public mental health system. The portfolio presents four case studies to examine the notion that Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT) is efficacious in the treatment of anxiety as a comorbid condition.

Understanding social work practice in mental health

Book review of: Understanding social work practice in mental health, by Vicki Coppock & Bob Dunn, 2010.

Social work practice in mental health: an introduction

Book review of: Social Work Practice in Mental Health: An Introduction

The role of social support in protecting mental health when employed and unemployed: a longitudinal fixed-effects analysis using 12 annual waves of the HILDA cohort

Perceived social support is associated with overall better mental health. There is also evidence that unemployed workers with higher social support cope better psychologically than those without such support. However, there has been limited research about the effect of social support among people who have experienced both unemployment and employment. We assessed this topic using 12 years of annually collected cohort data. The sample included 3190 people who had experienced both unemployment and employment. We used longitudinal fixed-effects modelling to investigate within-person changes in mental health comparing the role of social support when a person was unemployed to when they were employed. Compared to when a person reported low social support, a change to medium (6.35, 95% 5.66 to 7.04, p < 0.001) or high social support (11.58, 95%, 95% CI 10.81 to 12.36, p < 0.001) was associated with a large increase in mental health (measured on an 100 point scale, with higher scores representing better mental health). When a person was unemployed but had high levels of social support, their mental health was 2.89 points (95% CI 1.67 to 4.11, p < 0.001) higher than when they were employed but had lower social support. The buffering effect of social support was confirmed in stratified analysis. There was a strong direct effect of social support on mental health. The magnitude of these differences could be considered clinically meaningful. Our results also suggest that social support has a significant buffering effect on mental health when a person is unemployed.

The acceptability and efficacy of a group cognitive behavioural therapy programme in a community mental health setting

This paper presents data on a patient evaluation of a group cognitive behavioural therapy programme in an applied setting and its efficacy for reducing generalised anxiety and or depression, and distress. Patients (n=14) participated in one of two 8-week group cognitive behavioural therapy programmes for generalised anxiety or depression, within a mental health service. Patients’ perceptions of the programme were collected via an evaluation questionnaire, and data on clinical outcomes were sourced from patients’ case notes. Most patients who were invited to participate in the programme (n=14 of 17), and their evaluations were generally favourable. Almost all participants (93%) indicated that the programme either met or exceeded their expectations. The clinical outcomes of the intervention were similar to those found in efficacy studies reported in the published literature (approximately half to threequarters of one standard deviation improvement in anxiety, depression, and distress scores).

Does family intervention for adolescent substance use impact parental mental health? A systematic review

Adolescent substance abuse is a prevalent problem and both individual and group family interventions are increasingly being used to assist families to cope. A literature review was conducted to identify whether individual and group family interventions for adolescent substance abuse enhance the mental health of parents and other family members. The review also sought to identify direct and indirect effects of family intervention processes on depressive symptoms and general distress. Based on quality criteria a total of nine studies were included. Of these, six quantitatively examined family intervention outcomes on family member mental health, with all six reporting positive effects. Four of the nine studies measured levels of depressive symptoms and three of these four studies reported significant direct effects of family intervention on parental depression. The positive effects were also found in the three qualitative studies included in the review. Indirect therapeutic mechanisms that contributed to mental health improvements included: reduction of stress symptoms, improved coping, improved family functioning, more effective parenting behaviours, attitude changes, perceived changes in relative’s substance use, and improved social support. The available literature suggests that a number of determinants of family mental health may potentially be impacted through family intervention for adolescent substance abuse. However, definitive conclusions cannot be made at this point as the literature is mostly descriptive and there have been few longitudinal studies or randomised controlled trials.

A different kettle of fish : mental health strategies for Australian fishers, and farmers

Despite being typically represented and managed under the same policy umbrella, fishers face different challenges than do their farming counterparts. This paper unpacks the findings of research depicting poor levels of mental health and well-being among Australian commercial wild-catch fishers. The research is considered in the context of widespread acceptance that farmers tend to exhibit worse than average mental health outcomes due, at least in part, to the environmental uncertainties of climate change. In particular it is stressed that the insecurity of fishing concessions (quota and licenses), is a key driver of chronic livelihood insecurity, resulting in reports of stress, depression and suicide. A call is made for the separation of health research in the fishing and farming industries. Importantly, the role that tenure insecurity plays in the perpetuation of poor mental health among fishers should be acknowledged and addressed so that the fishing industry can maximize the strength of its human capital.

Practice into theory : working collaboratively with clinicians to articulate mental health triage practice

Learning objectives: To contribute to mental health nurses understanding and knowledge of mental health triage practice through the presentation of current research findings on the topic. A specific focus of the paper will be an overview of how mental health triage practice differs across the lifespan.

Mental health triage is a highly specialised area of clinical practice for mental health nursing that is in its infancy in terms of articulating practice and theory. This paper addresses the conference theme of mental health nursing practice: new roles, new challenges by presenting the findings of a qualitative research project that investigated mental health triage/duty/intake practices across the five community mental health agencies of The Alfred Hospital, Melbourne. The overall aim of the project was to work collaboratively with clinicians to further develop the quality and consistency of mental health triage, duty, and intake clinical practice across all arms of Alfred Psychiatry. The project was designed to facilitate the expansion of the mental health triage knowledge base, and thus contribute to the further development of triage clinical practice. One of the unique aspects of the project was its triangulation across the adult triage service (acute), the two Continuing Care Teams, and the specialist psychiatric services such as the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service, the Homeless and Outreach Psychiatric Service, and the Mobile Aged Psychiatric Service. The project employed focus group method to collect in-depth, qualitative data. A series of nine focus groups were conducted at each site, which concentrated on eliciting data on the core areas of mental health triage practice such as telephone consultation skills, mental status examination, risk assessment, decision-making, negotiation, crisis assessment, secondary consultation, and documentation. The investigation produced a considerable amount of high quality, in-depth data that was analysed using content analysis methods. The project produced data that will make a significant contribution to the expanding body of knowledge on mental health triage practice.

Decisions, decisions, decisions : an exploration of clinical decision-making in mental health triage

This paper presents the findings of a project that investigated mental health triage/duty/intake practices across the five community mental health agencies of The Alfred Hospital, Melbourne. The overall aim of the project was to work collaboratively with clinicians to further develop the quality and consistency of mental health triage, duty, and intake clinical practice. The project was designed to facilitate the expansion of the mental health triage knowledge base, and thus contribute to the further development of triage clinical practice. One of the unique aspects of the project was its triangulation across the adult triage service (acute), the two Continuing Care Teams, and the specialist psychiatric services such as the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service, the Homeless and Outreach Psychiatric Service, and the Mobile Aged Psychiatric Service. The project employed focus group method to collect in-depth, qualitative data. A series of nine focus groups were conducted at each site, which concentrated on eliciting data on the core areas of mental health triage practice such as telephone consultation skills, mental status examination, risk assessment, decision-making, negotiation, crisis assessment, secondary consultation, and documentation. The investigation produced a considerable amount of high quality, in-depth data that was analysed using content analysis methods. The focus of this paper is on presenting the data on clinical decision-making that was raised through the project.