4 results
Trajectory of adjustment difficulties following disaster: 10-year longitudinal cohort study
- Belinda J. Pacella, Sean Cowlishaw, Lisa Gibbs, Richard A. Bryant, Kate Brady, Colin Gallagher, Robyn Molyneaux, Kari Gibson, Karen Block, Louise Harms, David Forbes, Meaghan L. O'Donnell
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- Journal:
- BJPsych Open / Volume 10 / Issue 2 / March 2024
- Published online by Cambridge University Press:
- 04 March 2024, e57
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- Article
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Background
Although much is known about psychopathology such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression following bushfire (also known as wildfire), little is known about prevalence, trajectory and impacts for those experiencing general adjustment difficulties following exposure to these now-common events.
AimsThis was an exploratory analysis of a large cohort study that examined the prevalence, trajectory and risk factors of probable adjustment disorder over a 10-year period following bushfire exposure.
MethodThe Beyond Bushfires study assessed individuals exposed to a large and deadly bushfire across three time points spanning 10 years. Self-report survey data from participants from areas with moderate and high levels of fire-affectedness were analysed: n = 802 participants at Wave 1 (3–4 years post-fires), n = 596 at Wave 2 (5 years post-fires) and n = 436 at Wave 3 (10 years post-fires). Surveys indexed fire-related experiences and post-fire stressors, and comprised the six-item Kessler Psychological Distress Scale (probable adjustment disorder index), four-item Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Checklist (probable fire-related PTSD) and nine-item Patient Health Questionnaire (probable major depressive episode).
ResultsPrevalence of probable adjustment disorder was 16% (Wave 1), 15% (Wave 2) and 19% (Wave 3). Probable adjustment disorder at 3–4 years post-fires predicted a five-fold increase in risk for escalating to severe psychiatric disorder (i.e. probable fire-related PTSD/major depressive episode) at 10 years post-fires, and was associated with post-fire income and relationship stressors.
ConclusionsAdjustment difficulties are prevalent post-disaster, many of which are maintained and exacerbated over time, resulting in increased risk for later disorder and adaptation difficulties. Psychosocial interventions supporting survivors with adjustment difficulties may prevent progression to more severe disorder.
Mental health across the early years in the military
- Lisa Dell, Carolina Casetta, Helen Benassi, Sean Cowlishaw, James Agathos, Meaghan O'Donnell, Monique Crane, Virginia Lewis, Belinda Pacella, Sonia Terhaag, David Morton, Alexander McFarlane, Richard Bryant, David Forbes
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- Journal:
- Psychological Medicine / Volume 53 / Issue 8 / June 2023
- Published online by Cambridge University Press:
- 24 February 2022, pp. 3683-3691
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Background
The mental health impact of the initial years of military service is an under-researched area. This study is the first to explore mental health trajectories and associated predictors in military members across the first 3–4 years of their career to provide evidence to inform early interventions.
MethodsThis prospective cohort study surveyed Australian Defence personnel (n = 5329) at four time-points across their early military career. Core outcomes were psychological distress (K10+) and posttraumatic stress symptoms [four-item PTSD Checklist (PCL-4)] with intra-individual, organizational and event-related trajectory predictors. Latent class growth analyses (LCGAs) identified subgroups within the sample that followed similar longitudinal trajectories for these outcomes, while conditional LCGAs examined the variables that influenced patterns of mental health.
ResultsThree clear trajectories emerged for psychological distress: resilient (84.0%), worsening (9.6%) and recovery (6.5%). Four trajectories emerged for post-traumatic stress, including resilient (82.5%), recovery (9.6%), worsening (5.8%) and chronic subthreshold (2.3%) trajectories. Across both outcomes, prior trauma exposure alongside modifiable factors, such as maladaptive coping styles, and increased anger and sleep difficulties were associated with the worsening and chronic subthreshold trajectories, whilst members in the resilient trajectories were more likely to be male, report increased social support from family/friends and Australian Defence Force (ADF) sources, and use adaptive coping styles.
ConclusionsThe emergence of symptoms of mental health problems occurs early in the military lifecycle for a significant proportion of individuals. Modifiable factors associated with wellbeing identified in this study are ideal targets for intervention, and should be embedded and consolidated throughout the military career.
Older adults' spirituality and life satisfaction: a longitudinal test of social support and sense of coherence as mediating mechanisms
- SEAN COWLISHAW, SYLVIA NIELE, KAREN TESHUVA, COLETTE BROWNING, HAL KENDIG
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- Journal:
- Ageing & Society / Volume 33 / Issue 7 / October 2013
- Published online by Cambridge University Press:
- 24 July 2012, pp. 1243-1262
- Print publication:
- October 2013
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Spirituality is proposed to be a component of successful ageing and has been shown to predict wellbeing in old age. There has been conceptual discussion of possible mechanisms that link spirituality with positive psychological functioning in older adults, but few empirical examinations of these linking mechanisms over time. The current study examined the role of Antonovsky's Sense of Coherence (SOC) and social support in mediating the effects of spirituality on life satisfaction in older participants over a four-year period. The study used a cross-lagged panel analysis to evaluate longitudinal mediation within a path analysis framework. Results showed that the meaningfulness dimension of SOC mediated the influence of spirituality on life satisfaction over time, suggesting that spirituality may influence older adults' experience and perception of life events, leading to a more positive appraisal of these events as meaningful. Social support was not found to mediate the pathway between spirituality and life satisfaction. This study may be the first to examine the link between spirituality, sense of coherence, social support and wellbeing, as measured by life satisfaction, using longitudinal data from a community sample of older adults. The study provides evidence for the positive role of spirituality in the lives of older people. This is an area that requires further examination in models of successful ageing.
23 - State-dependent foraging rules for social animals in selfish herds
- from Part III - Action selection in social contexts
- Edited by Anil K. Seth, University of Sussex, Tony J. Prescott, University of Sheffield, Joanna J. Bryson, University of Bath
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- Book:
- Modelling Natural Action Selection
- Published online:
- 05 November 2011
- Print publication:
- 10 November 2011, pp 523-537
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Summary
Summary
Many animals gain benefits from living in groups, such as a dilution in predation risk when they are closely aggregated (referred to as the ‘selfish herd’). Game theory has been used to predict many properties of groups (such as the expected group size), but little is known about the proximate mechanisms by which animals achieve these predicted properties. We explore a possible proximate mechanism using a spatially explicit, individual-based model, where individuals can choose to rest or forage on the basis of a rule of thumb that is dependent upon both their energetic reserves and the presence and actions of neighbours. The resulting behaviour and energetic reserves of individuals, and the resulting group sizes, are shown to be affected both by the ability of the forager to detect conspecifics and areas of the environment suitable for foraging, and by the distribution of energy in the environment. The model also demonstrates that if animals are able to choose (based upon their energetic reserves) between selecting the best foraging sites available, or moving towards their neighbours for safety, then this also has significant effects upon individuals and group sizes. The implications of the proposed rule of thumb are discussed.
Introduction
When animals form groups, it is often assumed that each individual faces various costs and benefits of group membership (Giraldeau and Caraco, 2000; Krause and Ruxton, 2002; Pulliam and Caraco, 1984). For example, within a foraging group, benefits could come through an increased likelihood of finding food or detecting predators, while costs could come through increased competition for resources, or increased visibility to predators. Much theoretical work has been conducted examining how the trade-off between these costs and benefits can determine the stable size of a group (Clark and Mangel, 1984; Ekman and Rosander, 1987; Giraldeau and Caraco, 2000; Higashi and Yamamura 1993; Sibly, 1983), and how these predictions match with empirical observations (Krause and Ruxton, 2002). However, although these studies have considered which group sizes should be stable from a functional perspective, little work has been conducted examining the proximate mechanisms resulting in the formation of these groups: recent models (e.g., Flierl et al., 1999; Juanico et al., 2003) have considered the actions of individuals following extremely simple rules of thumb. However, as noted by Krause and Ruxton (2002), little consideration has been given to making these rules realistic. State-dependent models of behaviour (Clark and Mangel, 2000; Houston and McNamara, 1999) offer us a means of predicting realistic rules, by considering which behaviours at a particular moment in time an animal with a given state set (such as its energy reserves, or the environment it currently occupies) should conduct in order to maximise some measure of its fitness. Therefore, unlike previous spatially-explicit models considering group formation behaviour, the model presented in this chapter bases its rules upon the results of state-dependent models (Rands and Johnstone, 2006; Rands et al., 2003, 2008).