A preliminary, qualitative exploration of the influences associated with drop-out from cognitive-behavioural therapy for problem gambling : an Australian perspective

It has been estimated that 80% of Australians engage in some form of gambling, with approximately 115,000 Australians experiencing severe problems (Productivity Commission 2010). Very few people with problem gambling seek help and, of those who do, large numbers drop-out of therapy before completing their program. To gain insights into these problems, participants who had either completed or withdrawn prematurely from an individual CBT-based problem gambling treatment program were interviewed to examine factors predictive of premature withdrawal from therapy as well as people's 'readiness' for change. The results indicated that there might be some early indicators of risk for early withdrawal. These included: gambling for pleasure or social interaction; non-compliance with homework tasks; gambling as a strategy to avoid personal issues or dysphoric mood; high levels of guilt and shame; and a lack of readiness for change. The study further showed that application of the term 'drop-out' to some clients may be an unnecessarily negative label in that a number appear to have been able to reduce their gambling urges even after a short exposure to therapy.

Attitudinal and behavioural approaches to improving waste management on construction projects in Australia: Benefits and limitations

This research aims to understand the attitudes and behaviours of stakeholders towards waste management and consequently identify ways of improving waste management practices in construction projects. Semi-structured interviews were conducted. The findings reveal that most of the decisions in construction projects are based on their financial returns unless there is a special requirement to comply with Green Star or any other sustainable building rating system. Even though there is a trend towards environment-friendly construction, contractors are favourable towards methods involving financial incentives. Results also indicate that private developers are more price-driven compared with government clients. Findings reveal the necessity of enforcing legislation to improve waste management practices until such practices become culturally embedded in organizations across the supply chain. Similarly, end users' motivation towards waste management was also identified as a key to encouraging stakeholders of construction projects and improving their attitudes and behaviours towards waste management practices.

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).

Improving the health of Australians by applying evidence from behavioural epidemiology to urban design projects

Rapid urban population growth in Australia requires an expansion of supporting hard and soft infrastructure. In the State of Victoria, directing this growth are a number of urban design and planning mechanisms that provide a ‘blueprint for development and investment’. Although topics revolving around physical health are present in these and other planning related documents, largely absent from this literature are ‘tools’ to assist decision makers in determining whether or not an urban setting supports physical health and provides opportunities for physical activity. Insufficient physical activity is a risk factor contributing to Australia’s growing and significant burden of chronic disease including cardiovascular disease, Type 2 diabetes and overweight/obesity. The potential of the built environment to influence population-level physical activity is well recognised. A key element in Victoria’s planning framework that can help address these health concerns is the provision and redevelopment of open space(s) in urban areas that provide opportunities for people of all ages and abilities to engage in physical activity. However, in the realisation of these settings, evidence informing the design of urban open space(s) that promote opportunities for physical activity is needed to produce evidence based decision making. Using the three geo-spatial visioning layers embedded in Victoria’s planning framework (i.e. Growth Area Framework Plans, Precinct Structure Plans and Planning Permits) as positioning instruments, this paper merges the fields of behavioural epidemiology and urban design to: i) provide a brief overview of current research relating to design of open space to optimise usage and physical activity, ii) consider what type of evidence relating to features of open space is needed to help inform decision makers, iii) consider the methods and procedures practitioners may use to incorporate evidence in to their planning, and iv) discuss the geo-spatial development level that the respective data can best assist decision making to achieve positive gains in physical health.

A behavioural therapy approach to self-management: the Flinders Program

Chronic diseases, including diabetes, represent the most prevalent problem in healthcare today. They are the most common cause of disability and consume the largest part of health expenditures internationally. Most diabetes care is provided by people with diabetes and their family or supporters. Therefore, understanding how to enhance diabetes self-management is of primary importance in addressing this growing burden. The effective self-management of type 2 diabetes is closely linked to environmental factors and a person’s lifestyle. In this article, the authors describe the Flinders Chronic Condition Self-Management Program, which highlights the person’s perspective, and provide an example of its practical application in an Aboriginal population in South Australia.

Evaluating social marketing’s upstream metaphor: does it capture the flows of behavioural influence between ‘upstream’ and ‘downstream’ actors?

Metaphors are powerful forms of communication that can both facilitate and constrain disciplinary discourse, so the choice of metaphor used to explain concepts of disciplinary importance should not be undertaken lightly. A single case study methodology involving an ‘upstream’ firm considering whether to manufacture products with environmental attributes was consequently used to test three previously unexamined assumptions associated with the upstream/downstream metaphor, a metaphorical distinction that continues to have sway within the social marketing discipline. Contrary to these assumptions, the flows of behavioural influence between ‘upstream’ and ‘downstream’ actors were found to be bidirectional (rather than unidirectional), interactive (rather than independent), and distinctive (rather than non-distinctive). These findings suggest the need for alternative models that can better reflect the complex, multidirectional relationships responsible for the emergence of many social issues.

Physiological and behavioural factors influencing foraging success in otariid seals

 This thesis directly validated methods of estimating energetic gain and energetic expenditure in diving seals and sea lions. Results showed that head-mounted accelerometers and dive behaviour can predict foraging behaviour and energetic gain. In contrast, 3-dimensional body movement was unable to reliably predict energetic expenditure of diving pinnipeds.

A multidisciplinary perspective on motor impairment as an early behavioural marker in children with autism spectrum disorder

Objectives: There is no medical test for autism spectrum disorder (ASD), a heterogeneous condition currently defined in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders Fifth Edition (DSM-5) by dysfunction in social, communication, and behavioural dimensions. There is agreement in the literature that the motor profile of ASD may hold the key to improving clinical and diagnostic definition, with DSM-5 now referring to motor deficits, including “odd gait” (p. 55), as part of the ASD clinical description. This review describes the history of motor impairment in ASD, types of motor problems, and age-related motor findings and highlights evidence gaps and future research. Method: A narrative review is provided of the research literature describing motor impairment in ASD and its ability to differentiate between ASD versus non-ASD cohorts. Results: Findings show differences in motor development in children with ASD from infancy onwards, including difficulties across motor coordination, arm movements, gait, and postural stability. Motor disturbance may appear in young children with ASD prior to social and language difficulties becoming clinically apparent. However, challenges remain in defining and measuring the early motor profile that is specific to ASD. Despite well-established motor impairments in ASD, there is a lack of evidence regarding which motor-based interventions will be effective in this group. Conclusions: Motor impairment holds promise as an early diagnostic sign, a behavioural marker, and a means by which to improve identification and possibly phenotypic delineation in ASD. Further research is required to determine whether motor abnormalities can sensitively differentiate ASD from other developmental conditions and to establish evidenced-based interventions to reduce the associated impairment.

Behavioural innovation is key to improving the health of one million Australians living with type 2 diabetes

Policy, research and clinical practice need a paradigm shift, focused on human behaviour and psychology.

Behavioural and neurochemical consequences of chronic gut microbiota depletion during adulthood in the rat

Gut microbiota colonization is a key event for host physiology that occurs early in life. Disruption of this process leads to altered brain development which ultimately manifests as changes in brain function and behaviour in adulthood. Studies using germ-free mice highlight the extreme impact on brain health that results from life without commensal microbes, however the impact of microbiota disturbances occurring in adulthood is less studied. To this end, we depleted the gut microbiota of 10-week-old male Sprague Dawley rats via chronic antibiotic treatment. Following this marked, sustained depletion of the gut bacteria, we investigated behavioural and molecular hallmarks of gut-brain communication. Our results reveal that depletion of the gut microbiota during adulthood results in deficits in spatial memory as tested by Morris water maze, increased visceral sensitivity and a greater display of depressive-like behaviours in the forced swim test. In tandem with these clear behavioural alterations we found change in altered CNS serotonin concentration along with changes in the mRNA levels of corticotrophin releasing hormone receptor 1 and glucocorticoid receptor. Additionally, we found changes in the expression of BDNF, a hallmark of altered microbiota-gut-brain axis signaling. In summary, this model of antibiotic-induced depletion of the gut microbiota can be used for future studies interested in the impact of the gut microbiota on host health without the confounding developmental influence of early-life microbial alterations.

Behavioural outcomes of next-generation family members’ commitment to their firm

Are there variations in behaviours and leadership styles of next-generation family members or descendants who join their family business due to different forms of commitment? Evidence from a dual respondent study of 109 Canadian and Swiss family firms suggests that descendants with affective commitment to their family firms are more likely to engage in discretionary activities going beyond the job description, thereby contributing to organizational performance. Next-generation members with normative commitment are more likely to engage in transformational leadership behaviours. Both affectively and normatively motivated next-generation members use contingent reward forms of leadership. A surprising finding of this study is the binding force of normative commitment on positive leadership behaviours of next-generation members. This study empirically tests the generalizability of the three-component model of commitment to family businesses, a context in which different forms of commitment may play a unique role.

Behavioural agency theory and the family business

The behavioural agency theory was developed to provide a more comprehensive explanation and prediction of managerial risk taking, in response to some shortcomings of agency theory. In general, the theory offers explanations of why decision makers prefer some strategic choices to others. The use of behavioural agency theory in family business research has, however, been very limited. Family business scholars recently adapted this theory to construct the family business variant, the ‘socioemotional wealth’ construct, which offers better explanations for the risk taking and decision making behaviours of family firms. This chapter provides an overview of behavioural agency theory and the socioemotional wealth construct, explores how they have been used in family business research, and offers suggestions for how this theory can be used in further research to contribute to both the family business and the general management literature. Keywords: family business, behavioural agency theory, socioemotional wealth, family firm heterogeneity.