Another minority group: use of aged care day programs and community leisure services by older people with lifelong disability

Objective: This study examined the extent to which programs available to the general aged community are accessible to older people with lifelong disability. Method: Forty Victorian generic aged day activity and community leisure programs used by older people responded to a survey that sought information on the extent to which such services are used by older people with a lifelong disability. Results: More than half of these services are accessed by a small number of people with lifelong disability and overall there was a willingness to include this group in generic services. Barriers and solutions to successful generic service use were reported. Conclusions: The findings indicate that the issues for people with lifelong disability differ little from those of other minority groups. It is proposed that disability services have a role in brokering services for their older clients, and continued planning and collaboration between disability and aged services will benefit all older people.

Using the DBC-P Hyperactivity Index to screen for ADHD in young people with autism and ADHD: a pilot study

This study aimed to (1) determine preliminary validity of the Developmental Behaviour Checklist-Hyperactivity Index (DBC-HI) as a screening measure of combined-type ADHD in autism and ADHD, and (2) compare emotional-behavioural disturbance using the DBC in autism, ADHD and autism + ADHD. Forty-nine age- and PIQ-matched young people [6-18 years; 12 autism, 13 ADHD, 12 autism + ADHD, 12 typically developing] were recruited. Parents completed the Conners-Revised Rating Scale and DBC. The DBC-HI displayed strong internal consistency and good external validity, reliably measuring combined-type ADHD. The DBC-HI distinguished autism from autism + ADHD with fair sensitivity and specificity. Individuals with autism + ADHD exhibited a more severe profile of emotional-behavioural disturbance than autism or ADHD alone. The DBC may be a useful 'all-in-one' screening tool to (1) identify comorbidity and (2) determine the severity of emotional-behavioural disturbance in autism and/or ADHD. © 2014 Elsevier Ltd.

Efficacy of Cognitive Processes in Young People with High-Functioning Autism Spectrum Disorder Using a Novel Visual Information-Processing Task

Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are characterised by a unique pattern of preserved abilities and deficits within and across cognitive domains. The Complex Information Processing Theory proposes this pattern reflects an altered capacity to respond to cognitive demands. This study compared how complexity induced by time constraints on processing affect cognitive function in individuals with ASD and typically-developing individuals. On a visual information-processing task, the Subtle Cognitive Impairment Test, both groups exhibited sensitivity to time-constraints. Further, 65 % of individuals with ASD demonstrated deficits in processing efficiency, possibly attributable to the effects of age and clinical comorbidities, like attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. These findings suggest that for some ASD individuals there are significant impairments in processing efficiency, which may have implications for education and interventions. © 2014 Springer Science+Business Media New York.

A qualitative evaluation of an intervention for parents of adolescents with mental disorders: the parenting challenging adolescents seminar

This qualitative study describes parents’ responses to a targeted and brief educational seminar (known as ‘Parenting Challenging Adolescents’), and provides recommendations for brief parenting interventions designed to engage adolescents in mental health treatment. The 2-h intervention was designed to assist parents who were concerned about their adolescents and in the identification of mental disorders. Participants were invited to attend the seminars conducted in a community setting on the basis of local advertising and promotion of the event with community health services and schools. Any parent of a young person aged 12–25 interested in the seminar material was eligible to attend. Sixteen parents completed measures of parent and youth mental health and family satisfaction and were also interviewed using semi-structured telephone interviews 4 weeks after the seminar. Interpretational phenomenological analysis of interviews suggested that most parents valued the chance to connect with others in similar situations and appreciated knowing about local services available for mental health disorders. Many parents also reported positive changes to communication and family dynamics following the seminar. Another common theme was an increased knowledge of mental disorders and appropriate treatments, along with the desire to receive more specific, targeted information. Overall the findings suggest that even a single session of educational material designed for parents may be useful, engaging and potentially encourage improved service usage for adolescents with mental disorders.

Online health information seeking: How people with multiple sclerosis find, assess and integrate treatment information to manage their health

Background and objective: The Internet is increasingly prominent as a source of health information for people with multiple sclerosis (MS). But there has been little exploration of the needs, experiences and preferences of people with MS for integrating treatment information into decision making, in the context of searching on the Internet. This was the aim of our study. Design: Sixty participants (51 people with MS; nine family members) took part in a focus group or online forum. They were asked to describe how they find and assess reliable treatment information (particularly online) and how this changes over time. Thematic analysis was underpinned by a coding frame. Results: Participants described that there was both too much information online and too little that applied to them. They spoke of wariness and scepticism but also empowerment. The availability of up-to-date and unbiased treatment information, including practical and lifestyle-related information, was important to many. Many participants were keen to engage in a 'research partnership' with health professionals and developed a range of strategies to enhance the trustworthiness of online information. We use the term 'self-regulation' to capture the variations in information seeking behaviour that participants described over time, as they responded to their changing information needs, their emotional state and growing expertise about MS. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Age, class and race discrimination: their interactions and associations with mental health among Brazilian university students

Although research on discrimination and health has progressed significantly, it has tended to focus on racial discrimination and US populations. This study explored different types of discrimination, their interactions and associations with common mental disorders among Brazilian university students, in Rio de Janeiro in 2010. Associations between discrimination and common mental disorders were examined using multiple logistic regression models, adjusted for confounders. Interactions between discrimination and socio-demographics were tested. Discrimination attributed to age, class and skin color/race were the most frequently reported. In a fully adjusted model, discrimination attributed to skin color/race and class were both independently associated with increased odds of common mental disorders. The simultaneous reporting of skin color/race, class and age discrimination was associated with the highest odds ratio. No significant interactions were found. Skin color/race and class discrimination were important, but their simultaneous reporting, in conjunction with age discrimination, were associated with the highest occurrence of common mental disorders.

Group cognitive behavioural therapy program shows potential in reducing symptoms of depression and stress among young people with ASD

We examined the efficacy of cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) delivered in groups on the reduction of symptoms of depression, anxiety and stress in young people on the autism spectrum. Utilising a quasi-experimental design, comparisons were made between individuals allocated to a group intervention program and individuals allocated to a waitlist. Following the intervention program, participants who were initially symptomatic reported significantly lower depression and stress scores on the Depression Anxiety Stress Scales in comparison to individuals on the waitlist. There was no significant change in anxiety related symptoms. The benefits were maintained at 3 and 9 month follow-up. Our findings demonstrate the potential of CBT in a small group setting for assisting young people with ASD who have symptoms of depression and stress.

Clinical placements in mental health: a literature review

Gaining experience in clinical mental health settings is central to the education of health practitioners. To facilitate the ongoing development of knowledge and practice in this area, we performed a review of the literature on clinical placements in mental health settings. Searches in Academic Search Complete, CINAHL, Medline and PsycINFO databases returned 244 records, of which 36 met the selection criteria for this review. Five additional papers were obtained through scanning the reference lists of those papers included from the initial search. The evidence suggests that clinical placements may have multiple benefits (e.g. improving students' skills, knowledge, attitudes towards people with mental health issues and confidence, as well as reducing their fears and anxieties about working in mental health). The location and structure of placements may affect outcomes, with mental health placements in non-mental health settings appearing to have minimal impact on key outcomes. The availability of clinical placements in mental health settings varies considerably among education providers, with some students completing their training without undertaking such structured clinical experiences. Students have generally reported that their placements in mental health settings have been positive and valuable experiences, but have raised concerns about the amount of support they received from education providers and healthcare staff. Several strategies have been shown to enhance clinical placement experiences (e.g. providing students with adequate preparation in the classroom, implementing learning contracts and providing clinical supervision). Educators and healthcare staff need to work together for the betterment of student learning and the healthcare professions.