Planning research and educational partnerships with Indigenous communities : practice, realities and lessons

Increasingly planning practice and research are having to engage with Indigenous communities in Australia to empower and position their knowledge in planning strategies and arguments. But also to act as articulators of their cultural knowledge, landscape aspirations and responsibilities and the need to ensure that they are directly consulted in projects that impact upon their ‘country’ generally and specifically. This need has changed rapidly over the last 25 years because of land title claim legal precedents, state and Commonwealth legislative changes, and policy shifts to address reconciliation and the consequences of the fore-going precedents and enactments. While planning instruments and their policies have shifted, as well as research grant expectations and obligations, many of these Western protocols do not recognise and sympathetically deal with the cultural and practical realities of Indigenous community management dynamics, consultation practices and procedures, and cultural events much of which are placing considerable strain upon communities who do not have the human and financial resources to manage, respond, co-operate and inform in the same manner expected of non-Indigenous communities in Australia. This paper reviews several planning formal research, contract research and educational engagements and case studies between the authors and various Indigenous communities, and highlights key issues, myths and flaws in the way Western planning and research expectations are imposed upon Indigenous communities that often thwart the quality and uncertainty of planning outcomes for which the clients, research agencies, and government entities were seeking to create.

What's 'childless' got to do with it?

Childlessness is increasing in Australia and has resulted in an upsurge of media commentary on the lives of childless women, This paper investigates the use of the label 'childless' in the Australian print media by drawing meaning and understanding from these representations within the context of pronatalist ideologies. Our analysis suggests that childless(ness) is used as an irrelevant descriptor and as a discreditable attribute, which fudher serves to perpetuate negative othering stereotypes of childless women. This is particularly exemplified through the representation of Australia's Prime Minister Julia Gillard by the print media. This analysis highlights the continued positioning of women in regards to their reproductive status.

Interconnectedness, multiplexity and the global student : the role of blogging and micro blogging in opening students horizons

The authors explore the world of blogging and micro blogging (twitter) as a means of mediating engagement with students, lawyers, academics and other interested and interesting people around the world. Through the use of auto-ethnographic case studies of their own experiences with blogging and micro blogging tools, the authors propose that far from being a distraction from student learning, these tools have the potential to open up an international professional collaborative space beyond the physical classroom, for both academics and our students, from their first year experience through to practical legal training and continuing professional development.

Emotions in education policy : a social contract analysis of asymmetrical dyads and emotion

Like other academic fields, educational policy is being reviewed for the affective component. Analysis is occurring in two forms: (a) the affects of education policy on education, school leaders, teachers and student learning outcomes and (b) text analysis of specific education policies. This chapter explores the representation of emotions in education policy texts, drawing on a theory of social contracts (Rawolle & Vadeboncoeur, 2003; Yeatman, 1996) as a way to explore what is being conveyed to administrators and teachers. This chapter considers the way in which emotions are represented in education policy, through social contract analysis. Social contracts are underpinned by three underlying conditions: consent to be a part of a contract, points of renegotiation through the duration of the contract and mutual accountability to those involved.

Intergenerational effects of the Holocaust : subjective well-being in the offspring of survivors

Offspring of Holocaust survivors have been the subject of much research into how traumatic events affect future generations. This study considers the effects of the Holocaust on the well-being rather than trauma of offspring of Holocaust survivors in Australia. 285 Jewish participants completed a questionnaire to measure components of subjective well-being. Analyses revealed that offspring of Holocaust survivors reported lower general positive mood than non-OHS. This result was limited to offspring of Holocaust survivors with two survivor parents. These findings imply that effects of the Holocaust are transmitted to nonclinical offspring of Holocaust survivors and that the number of survivor parents is a crucial determinant in understanding these transgenerational outcomes.

Validity of the Beck Depression Inventory as a screening tool for a clinical mood disorder in Bariatric surgery candidates

Background : The Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) is one of the most commonly used instruments to assess depression in persons with obesity. While it has been validated in normal and psychiatric populations, in obese populations, its validity remains uncertain. This study aimed to investigate the validity and reliability of the BDI-IA and BDI-II in severely obese bariatric surgery candidates.

Methods : Consecutive new candidates at a bariatric surgery clinic were invited to participate in the study by their consulting surgeon. All candidates were assessed using the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV Disorders (SCID-I); 118 completed the BDI-IA and 83 completed the BDI-II. Two hundred one patients (response rate, 88 %) participated in the study. The current sample (82 % female) had an average body mass index of 42.83 ± 6.34 and an average age of 45 ± 12 years.

Results : Based on the SCID-I, 54 candidates (26.9 %) met the criteria for a mood disorder, with 37 meeting the criteria for current major depressive disorder. Individuals diagnosed with a clinical mood disorder had significantly higher scores on the BDI (BDI-IA, 23.59 ± 9.69 vs. 12.76 ± 8.29; BDI-II, 22.93 ± 5.22 vs. 11.25 ± 8.44). Our results indicated that, as a screening tool for a clinical mood disorder, the BDI-II had an optimal cutoff of 13, with a sensitivity of 100 and specificity of 67.75.

Conclusions : Results indicated that the BDI-IA should not be used as a tool to measure depressive symptomatology in obese bariatric surgery candidates. No cutoff was identified with adequate sensitivity and specificity, and over 20 % of patients were misclassified. As a screening tool for a clinical mood disorder, the BDI-II was adequate; however, prevalence rates were significantly overestimated.

Characterization of the improvement in depressive symptoms following Bariatric surgery

Background : The Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) has been frequently employed as a measure of depression in studies of obesity, with the majority of studies reporting an improvement in scores following weight loss. Given the potential similarity in obesity-related and depressive symptoms, it is uncertain whether all components of depression would improve equally with weight loss.

Method : The study included obese patients who had undergone laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding (LAGB) surgery and had completed BDIs at baseline and 1 year after surgery. Two groups of patients were included, a general background group (N = 191, mean age = 41 ± 9, mean BMI = 43 ± 8) and a group identified as experiencing elevated depressive symptoms based on BDI scores ≥23 (EDS group; (N = 67, mean age = 40 ± 9, mean BMI = 45 ± 7).

Results : Overall, BDI scores fell for both groups, background group at baseline 17 ± 9–8 ± 7 at 1 year and for the EDS group at baseline 30 ± 5–14 ± 10 at 1 year. Patient scores on the negative self-attitude subscale were significantly greater than the two other subscales and showed the greatest improvement 1 year following LAGB. Preexisting antidepressant therapy had little or no association on the BDI scores or on its change following weight loss.

Conclusion : High rates of depression are continually reported in obesity, as is a remarkable decrease in depressive symptoms following weight loss. Negative attitudes towards one’s self appears to be driving elevated BDI scores rather than the overlap in physical symptoms between obesity and depression.

Perceived discrimination and stigmatisation against severely obese women : age and weight loss make a difference

Aims: Patients’ perceptions about weight-related stigma and discrimination were assessed in 2 groups of patients, obese and laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding (LAGB).

Methods: Seven focus group sessions were held including a total of 32 women, 8 obese (body mass index 35+) and 24 who had lost 50% of excess weight following bariatric surgery. During the sessions, participants were asked to consider their experiences in situations including general, family, friends, work place, medical, and educational settings.

Results: Whilst perceptions of discrimination and stigmatisation were common and affected many life situations, they were less prevalent than previous reports. It appeared that it was not the frequency or number of events which affected an individual but the intensity of the experience. Younger women reported greater discrimination than older women and felt the social consequences of obesity to a greater extent. Older women were more concerned about the consequences of being overweight on their health.

Conclusions: Women who had lost weight considered that aspects of their own behaviours when obese contributed to their experiences of discrimination and stigmatisation. Perceptions of discrimination and stigmatisation appear to be influenced by age and current weight status.

Confirmatory factor analysis of the Beck Depression inventory in obese individuals seeking surgery

Background : The Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) is frequently employed as measure of depression in studies of obesity. The aim of the study was to assess the factorial structure of the BDI in obese patients prior to bariatric surgery.

Methods : Confirmatory factor analysis was conducted on the current published factor analyses of the BDI. Three published models were initially analysed with two additional modified models subsequently included. A sample of 285 patients presenting for Lap-Band® surgery was used.

Results : The published bariatric model by Munoz et al. was not an adequate fit to the data. The general model by Shafer et al. was a good fit to the data but had substantial limitations. The weight loss item did not significantly load on any factor in either model. A modified Shafer model and a proposed model were tested, and both were found to be a good fit to the data with minimal differences between the two. A proposed model, in which two items, weight loss and appetite, were omitted, was suggested to be the better model with good reliability.

Conclusions : The previously published factor analysis in bariatric candidates by Munoz et al. was a poor fit to the data, and use of this factor structure should be seriously reconsidered within the obese population. The hypothesised model was the best fit to the data. The findings of the study suggest that the existing published models are not adequate for investigating depression in obese patients seeking surgery.

Motivation, readiness to change, and weight loss following adjustable gastric band surgery

High levels of readiness to change (RTC) are considered critical to the long-term success of weight management programs including bariatric surgery. However, there are no data to support this assertion. We hypothesize that RTC level will not influence weight outcomes following surgery. In 227 consecutive patients undergoing adjustable gastric banding surgery, we recorded reasons for seeking surgery, and RTC measured with the University of Rhode Island Change Assessment. Scores were blinded until study completion. The primary outcome measure was percentage of excess BMI loss at 2 years (%EBMIL-2); others included compliance and surgical complications. Of 227 subjects, 204 (90%) had weight measurement at 2 years. There was no significant correlation between RTC score and %EBMIL-2 (r = 0.047, P = 0.5). Using the median split for RTC score the lowest 102 subjects mean %EBMIL-2 was 52.9 ± 26.9% and the highest 52.2 ± 28.3%, P = 0.869. There was no weight loss difference between highest and lowest quartiles, or a nonlinear relationship between weight loss and RTC score. There was no significant relationship between RCT score and compliance, or likelihood of complications. Those motivated by appearance were more likely to be younger women who lost more weight at 2 years. Poor attendance at follow-up visits was associated with less weight loss, especially in men. Measures of RTC did not predict weight loss, compliance, or surgical complications. Caution is advised when using assessments of RTC to predict outcomes of bariatric surgery.