{"title":"Disneyland's castle: A psychiatric history with relevance for modern practice?","authors":"Alexander Smith, Michael Liebrenz","doi":"10.1177/10398562221113467","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/10398562221113467","url":null,"abstract":"For the 2022 academic year, medical schools still face uncertainty regarding the ongoing impact of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic on teaching and summative assessment. Innovation in medical education, including remote assessments has been effective in the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) pandemic, aswell aswith recent onlineplatform-mediated assessments. During the pandemic, our Medical School successfully conducted and validated invigilated-online summative written (multiple choice and extended matching) and Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) summative assessments for 100 students in Psychiatry and Addiction Medicine in 2020, and 2021. Students’ performance was comparable to face-to-face written and clinical assessments for prior years, and comparable for the 2020 and 2021 online assessments.","PeriodicalId":347122,"journal":{"name":"Australasian psychiatry : bulletin of Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists","volume":" ","pages":"669-670"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2022-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"40488893","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Measuring posttraumatic stress disorder following childbirth.","authors":"Hannah Dobson, Charles Malpas, Jayashri Kulkarni","doi":"10.1177/10398562221077900","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/10398562221077900","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Purpose: </strong>This study aims to assess the reliability and construct validity of the City Birth Trauma Scale (BiTS) in Oceania and confirm the latent factor structure of postpartum posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD).</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Participants completed the City BiTS, demographic and obstetric information via an online survey. Psychometric properties of the City BiTS were investigated using confirmatory factor analyses (CFA).</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The study included 195 women, with 39 participating in repeat administration. CFA confirmed a two-factor model which included a birth-related symptom (BRS) subscale and general symptom (GS) subscale. High reliability and construct validity was observed for subscales and total score at baseline and follow-up.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>The City BiTS represents a potentially useful tool to assist with screening for postpartum PTSD.</p>","PeriodicalId":347122,"journal":{"name":"Australasian psychiatry : bulletin of Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists","volume":" ","pages":"476-480"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2022-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"39960222","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Annie Parsons, Benjamin Hoadley, Cortney Hitzeman, Sarah Parkin, John Kasinathan
{"title":"A six-session group-based pilot intervention for alcohol and other drug use in hospitalised mentally ill young offenders.","authors":"Annie Parsons, Benjamin Hoadley, Cortney Hitzeman, Sarah Parkin, John Kasinathan","doi":"10.1177/10398562211065289","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/10398562211065289","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objective: </strong>This study aims to evaluate a group-based intervention for alcohol and other drug (AOD) use offered to incarcerated youth hospitalised with mental illness.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A six-session group-based intervention for AOD use was offered to young offenders with mental illness, hospitalised in the Adolescent Unit of the Forensic Hospital, Sydney, between June 2015 and May 2017. Pre- and post-intervention measures were collected using the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS), Treatment Entry Questionnaire, Drug-Related Locus of Control (DRLOC) and Drug-Taking Confidence Questionnaire, short version.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Pre- and post-intervention measures were compared utilising paired t-tests. Following the intervention, there was a significant reduction in the severity of psychiatric symptoms rated using the BPRS and a significant difference in DRLOC measures, reflecting increased internal locus of control.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Improved internal drivers for reducing AOD use and improvement in symptoms of mental illness suggest similar interventions may be beneficial and may not impact recovery even during episodes of acute illness.</p>","PeriodicalId":347122,"journal":{"name":"Australasian psychiatry : bulletin of Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists","volume":" ","pages":"509-512"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2022-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"39963106","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Leon Rajanthiran, Guy Curtis, Jeremiah Ayalde, Kenneth Orr, Peter Melvill-Smith, Amit Banerjee, Meta Schenk, Deborah Wearne
{"title":"'Is hearing believing?': A study of voices and beliefs in psychosis and trauma.","authors":"Leon Rajanthiran, Guy Curtis, Jeremiah Ayalde, Kenneth Orr, Peter Melvill-Smith, Amit Banerjee, Meta Schenk, Deborah Wearne","doi":"10.1177/10398562221106064","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/10398562221106064","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objective: </strong>This study compared voice characteristics and beliefs in participants diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) with dissociation, schizophrenia (SCZ) and both diagnoses of SCZ and PTSD. The relationship between dissociation and voice beliefs was also assessed.</p><p><strong>Method: </strong>We identified 56 participants meeting the diagnostic criteria for PTSD with dissociation, SCZ or both diagnoses (PTSD + SCZ) who also experienced auditory hallucinations. Measures included PTSD Symptoms Scales Interview (PSSI-5), Psychotic Symptoms Rating Scale (PSYRAT), Clinician Administered Dissociative States Scale (CADSS), Beliefs about Voices Questionnaire (BAVQ) and Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS).</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Beliefs about voices were similar across diagnostic groups. Participants with SCZ were more likely to attribute their voices to an external origin, and participants with dual diagnosis were less able to control their voices. The PTSD-only group scored higher in dissociation scores than either the SCZ-only or dual diagnosis group. Malevolent voice appraisals correlated with dissociation scores only in the dual diagnosis group.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>This research supports the hypothesis that voice beliefs are similar across diagnoses of PTSD and SCZ. However, differences in voice characteristics, emotional responses and relationship to dissociation may need to be considered in the psychological management of voices.</p>","PeriodicalId":347122,"journal":{"name":"Australasian psychiatry : bulletin of Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists","volume":" ","pages":"547-551"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2022-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"40613700","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Clinical psychology referral for individuals with auditory verbal hallucinations and schizophrenia: Therapy engagement, hallucination severity and distress.","authors":"Ann Solar, Kellie Bennett, Gary Hulse","doi":"10.1177/10398562221108815","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/10398562221108815","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objective: </strong>Test an intervention for people with schizophrenia and auditory verbal hallucinations at an acute inpatient unit (AIU) to engage with community therapy and reduce hallucination severity and associated distress. The trial cohort consisted of patients who after assessment by an AIU psychiatrist were not selected for an appointment with an AIU clinical psychologist and an opportunity for referral to a post-discharge community psychologist. An intervention providing the appointment and referral opportunity was compared to Treatment As Usual (TAU).</p><p><strong>Method: </strong>A single-blind, randomised, control trial compared the intervention with TAU over 6-months post-discharge using Engagement in Community Therapy, Psychotic Symptom Rating Scale (PSYRATS) auditory hallucinations and Revised Beliefs About Voices (BAVQ-R) questionnaires.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Post-discharge community therapy engagement increased at 6 months compared to baseline in the intervention, TAU and combined groups. PSYRATS AHS and H-DIS scores decreased from baseline to last follow-up (statistically significant for TAU, and combined treatment groups). BAVQ-R RE scores decreased from baseline to last follow-up but the decrease was not statistically significant.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Most participants chose to engage with a community therapist despite not being initially assigned for referral by their psychiatrist and experiencing moderately severe symptoms.</p>","PeriodicalId":347122,"journal":{"name":"Australasian psychiatry : bulletin of Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists","volume":" ","pages":"452-457"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2022-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"40194335","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Long-acting injectable buprenorphine - 'best practice' opioid agonist therapy for Australian prisoners.","authors":"Russ Scott, Andrew Aboud, Thomas O'Gorman","doi":"10.1177/10398562211059086","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/10398562211059086","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objective: </strong>To consider opioid agonist therapy in prisons.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Given the substantial risks of substance misuse by prisoners, long-acting injectable buprenorphine should be adopted as 'best practice' treatment in Australian prison populations.</p>","PeriodicalId":347122,"journal":{"name":"Australasian psychiatry : bulletin of Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists","volume":" ","pages":"498-502"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2022-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"39950439","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Philippa Ditton-Phare, Harsimrat Sandhu, Brian Kelly, Carmel Loughland
{"title":"ComPsych communication skills training: Applicability of simulated patients in psychiatry communication skills training.","authors":"Philippa Ditton-Phare, Harsimrat Sandhu, Brian Kelly, Carmel Loughland","doi":"10.1177/10398562211067199","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/10398562211067199","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objective: </strong>Communication skills training (CST) programs within postgraduate psychiatry training are rare. ComPsych CST utilises simulated patients (SPs) for trainees to practice communication skills for discussing severe mental illness with patients and their families/carers. This study examined the applicability of using SPs in a psychiatry-specific CST.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A total of 41 postgraduate psychiatry trainees attended at least one of four modules of training in their cohort year and completed a questionnaire after each module presenting eight questions rating the use of SPs and ratings of course deliverables.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Overall, trainees rated contact with SPs very highly across all modules, with a mean rating of 9.11 out of 10 (SD = 0.97). Trainees agreed that SPs appeared authentic, that their reactions showed they listened to the trainee.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Trainees valued training with SPs, providing evidence that using SPs for psychiatry-specific CST is feasible. Despite subjectivity, this is valuable to course providers as it highlights benefits perceived by trainees to be useful and provides further evidence for the program's feasibility and utility.</p>","PeriodicalId":347122,"journal":{"name":"Australasian psychiatry : bulletin of Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists","volume":" ","pages":"552-555"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2022-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"39903220","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Single session family therapy for beginners: what difference does it make to psychiatry registrars to participate in family sessions in front of and behind the screen?","authors":"Danny Cheah, Liza Hopkins, Richard Whitehead","doi":"10.1177/10398562211051247","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/10398562211051247","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objective: </strong>Current competencies required for fellowship of the RANZCP require psychiatry registrars to have experience in working with clients across all age groups, as well as working with families and the client's wider network, however gaining this experience is not always easy for trainees. This paper reports on the experience of participating in Single Session Family Therapy (SSFT) during registrar training as a different modality for learning.</p><p><strong>Method: </strong>An online survey was conducted with fourteen registrars who had participated in SSFT during their child and adolescent rotation. Qualitative and simple quantitative data were collected and analysed.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Participating in SSFT during training was initially daunting, but had a positive effect on trainees, including influencing some towards focussing their future sub-specialisation in the child and youth area. Experience came through learning by doing, and seeing change. Registrars learnt about: understanding the role of the family; teamwork; technical skills; and gained confidence.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Opportunities for trainees to participate in SSFT enables powerful learning beyond what can be taught in the classroom. Such opportunities may enhance registrars' perceptions of family work, and may positively influence decision about future sub-specialisation.</p>","PeriodicalId":347122,"journal":{"name":"Australasian psychiatry : bulletin of Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists","volume":" ","pages":"432-435"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2022-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"39555524","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"<i>The Thought Broadcast</i> - Discussion with The Thought Broadcast Team: 'Lessons Learned'.","authors":"Oliver Robertson","doi":"10.1177/10398562221115890","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/10398562221115890","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":347122,"journal":{"name":"Australasian psychiatry : bulletin of Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists","volume":" ","pages":"431"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2022-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"40613701","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Disjunction in the subjective and objective measurement of co-occurring depression in borderline personality disorder - Implications for diagnosis.","authors":"Lukas Cheney, Jillian H Broadbear, Sathya Rao","doi":"10.1177/10398562211065296","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/10398562211065296","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objective: </strong>Research and clinical experience suggest that people with borderline personality disorder (BPD) are more likely to report greater severity of depressive symptoms than is objectively measured by their clinician. The prominence of low mood in association with BPD can result in the treatment of depressive symptoms being prioritised over the diagnosis and treatment of BPD.</p><p><strong>Method: </strong>This study investigated the utility of validated clinician-administered and self-report depression rating scales during psychiatric assessment of 49 clients diagnosed with BPD.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Considerable discrepancies emerged between client and clinician ratings of depression, with client-rated scales generating significantly higher depression scores. Both client-rated and clinician-rated depression scores were positively influenced by the severity of BPD symptoms.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>These findings raise questions about the interpretation of rating scales in clinical decision-making and highlight inherent uncertainty when diagnosing major depressive disorder in people who have borderline personality disorder. The accurate diagnosis of low mood has significant implications for the treatment and management of both disorders.</p>","PeriodicalId":347122,"journal":{"name":"Australasian psychiatry : bulletin of Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists","volume":" ","pages":"481-485"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2022-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"39606946","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}