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ObjectiveMethodResultsDiscussion\nKEY POINTSThe experience of psychologists who use telehealth remains relatively unexplored. Existing literature indicates that self-efficacy and familiarity with technology contribute to satisfaction.One hundred and sixty-six Australian psychologists completed an online survey measuring self-efficacy, technology affinity and telehealth satisfaction.Self-efficacy mediated 54% of the relationship between telehealth affinity and telehealth satisfaction. Self-rated intervention skills, assessment and measurement skills, and positive attitude towards technology contributed to telehealth satisfaction.The integration of self-efficacy components into traditional telehealth training for psychologists is explored. Increased self-efficacy may lead to greater telehealth satisfaction, potentially contributing to better treatment outcomes for clients.What is already known about this topic: Clients often rate their experience of telehealth positively, but less is knows about the experience of clinicians, and in particular psychologists.Overall satisfaction with the telehealth experience and general technology skills (technology affinity) have been shown to influence the adoption of telehealth by clinicians. Self-efficacy has been shown to positively influence attitudes to telehealth.Telehealth skills, clinician satisfaction and clinician self-efficacy may also influence client outcomes.Clients often rate their experience of telehealth positively, but less is knows about the experience of clinicians, and in particular psychologists.Overall satisfaction with the telehealth experience and general technology skills (technology affinity) have been shown to influence the adoption of telehealth by clinicians. Self-efficacy has been shown to positively influence attitudes to telehealth.Telehealth skills, clinician satisfaction and clinician self-efficacy may also influence client outcomes.What this topic adds: Technology affinity is a significant positive predictor of telehealth self-efficacy in psychologistsSelf-efficacy significantly predicts some of the relationship between technology affinity and telehealth satisfaction, acting as a mediator.Intervention and assessment/measurement self-efficacy showed a greater relationship with telehealth satisfaction than other aspects of psychologist self-efficacy.Technology affinity is a significant positive predictor of telehealth self-efficacy in psychologistsSelf-efficacy significantly predicts some of the relationship between technology affinity and telehealth satisfaction, acting as a mediator.Intervention and assessment/measurement self-efficacy showed a greater relationship with telehealth satisfaction than other aspects of psychologist self-efficacy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Young carers in Australia are people aged under 25 who undertake a substantial familial caring role. A range of associated disadvantages with this practice have been identified, however, no systematic literature review currently exists to consolidate the Australian research. Articles were included if they used a broadly quantitative methodology, were in English, and published since 2002 using original, contemporary Australian data and specifically discussed the caring role. The following databases were searched: Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection, APA PsychInfo, APA PsycArticles, MEDLINE Complete, Academic Search Complete, CINAHL with Full Text, Child Development & Adolescent Studies, APA PsycTherapy. Fourteen articles were included, and synthesised using a narrative style, capturing detailed information on approximately 8000 young carers, and briefer census-style data on 128,000 young carers. Quality ratings and risk of bias analyses were included. It was found that young carers exhibit a range of disadvantages across academic, social, and mental health domains, particularly when the care recipient is a parent, and even more so if the care needs are related to mental health or substance use. Additional research is required to further explore the relationships between the young caring role and outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Intellectual disability and mental health disorders constitute a major health problem globally with higher economic burden in low- and middle-income countries such as Bangladesh. In 2017, the World Bank estimated that 85% of the global population lived in low-middle-income countries. Limited research has explored health practitioner knowledge and/or confidence in the diagnosis and treatment of mental health issues in persons with intellectual disabilities (IDs) in low-income countries such as Bangladesh. One hundred and ninety-seven Bangladeshi-based health practitioners were grouped into 7 main professional groups according the current Bangladeshi health hierarchy (psychiatrists; traditional healers and community workers; medical doctors; nurses; psychologists; allied health: speech therapists, occupational therapists, social workers; and others: teachers physiotherapists, administration staff). A 34-item online survey was completed, which included questions measuring symptoms of common mental health disorders with reference to the Psychiatric Assessment Schedule for Adults with Developmental Disabilities, and questions measuring confidence working with persons with IDs from the Therapy Confidence Scale-Intellectual Disabilities. Participants demonstrated low knowledge of symptomology but were "confident" working with people with IDs. Kruskal–Wallis H tests indicated a significant effect of professional group on both overall knowledge and confidence levels, respectively. Traditional healers and community health workers had significantly more knowledge of symptoms than all other practitioners for obsessive-compulsive disorder, depression, psychosis, and hypomania. Participants demonstrated confidence, but low knowledge, in treating individuals with IDs. The development of training programs to address specific deficits in knowledge of mental health symptoms, and confidence in using assessment and assessment-based communication, is recommended. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The role of the mechanical environment in defining tissue function, development and growth has been shown to be fundamental. Assessment of the changes in stiffness of tissue matrices at multiple scales has relied mostly on invasive and often specialist equipment such as AFM or mechanical testing devices poorly suited to the cell culture workflow.In this paper, we have developed a unbiased passive optical coherence elastography method, exploiting ambient vibrations in the sample that enables real-time noninvasive quantitative profiling of cells and tissues. We demonstrate a robust method that decouples optical scattering and mechanical properties by actively compensating for scattering associated noise bias and reducing variance. The efficiency for the method to retrieve ground truth is validated in silico and in vitro, and exemplified for key applications such as time course mechanical profiling of bone and cartilage spheroids, tissue engineering cancer models, tissue repair models and single cell. Our method is readily implementable with any commercial optical coherence tomography system without any hardware modifications, and thus offers a breakthrough in on-line tissue mechanical assessment of spatial mechanical properties for organoids, soft tissues and tissue engineering. A method is described for assessing spatial mechanical properties for organoids, soft tissues and tissue engineering. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a two-year pedagogical, teacher-as-researcher, action research project at the Faculty of Arts and Humanities, University of Sousse, Tunisia, which investigates how the integration of the Soliya Connect Program, a facilitated dialogic online exchange programme, with a theoretical course on critical intercultural communication helped students develop critical interculturality. Despite some initial concern about the extra time commitment, students were unanimously positive about integrating the two aspects, claiming that the Connect Program helped them to develop criticality in real life, and that the online communication was much more effective because they participated with the critical perspective developed in class. The findings support the integration of theoretical and practical online components in developing students' critical intercultural communication skills, and the use of action research to inform adjustments to both components in order to improve the outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Many people require additional care and support to meet their personal, health and psychosocial needs. Sometimes that responsibility falls to young people within their families. The research to date indicates that the impact on these young people can be significant, however no comprehensive reviews have yet examined this in Australian participants. Objective: Given the personal, subjective experience of caring, this study systematically reviews the qualitative literature on Australian youth under 25 who provide an informal caring role, using a meta-ethnographic approach. Method: Qualitative studies published since 2002 using Australian participants were included. The databases used included: Psychology and Behavioural Sciences Collection, PsycInfo, PsycArticles, MEDLINE Complete, Academic Search Complete, CINAHL, and Child Development & Adolescent Studies. Quality ratings and risk of bias are discussed. Results: Seventeen studies were included in the final analysis, representing the experiences of 531 young carers. The results suggest that the young carer experience is profound and impacts a range of domains, including social, academic, and psychological. The impacts are largely perceived as disadvantageous, although some positive outcomes are discussed. Conclusion: On the basis of the findings, the review concludes by offering a model to conceptualise the Australian young carer phenomenon. KEY POINTS: What is already known about this topic: (1) Young carers perform a wide variety of important social, personal and healthcare tasks for family members. (2) Being a young carer impacts physical and mental health, as well as academic and vocational prospects. (3) Structural health and social care differences make international comparisons of the young carer experience difficult to undertake reliably. What this topic adds: (1) Systematically collected and synthesised qualitative information on Australian young carers is presented for the first time. (2) Key themes relating to how they became young carers, their disconnection from support services and the psychosocial toll of undertaking the caring role emerged as important aspects of the young carer experience. (3) Positive aspects of the young carer experience also emerged, but these require further study, alongside factors that mediate the impact of negative health and psychosocial outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many people with intellectual disability experience digital inequality due to a lack of Internet access; this is known as the digital divide. Digital inequality is also apparent when people with intellectual disability have Internet access, but only use it for a small number of applications (e.g., watching videos and playing games). Recently, it has been suggested that digital inequality also occurs in situations where some Internet users are less likely than others to translate their online activities to offline resources, including educational outcomes and social capital. The extent to which people with intellectual disability are translating their online activities to offline resources has not been examined. We conducted a systematic and critical review using PRISMA guidelines. The search strategy terms "intellectual disability" and "Internet use" were used to search the databases: Scopus; Wiley Online Library; Psychiatry Online; Web of Science; CINAHL; and PubMed. Twenty-four studies were found, which described 53 types of Internet use, 48 risks of Internet use, and 28 benefits of Internet use. The data were identified thematically and categorized to facilitate comparisons. The most frequently reported types of Internet use were in the category of social media/social networking (23%), the most common Internet risks were in the category of emotional distress (24%), and the most often reported benefits were in the category of friendships and social connection (33%). The findings indicate that the benefits of Internet use for people with intellectual disability have received much less attention than the risks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Intellectual disability (ID) and co-morbid mental health problems are more common in developing countries such as Bangladesh. However, little is known about how Bangladeshi health practitioners diagnose mental health disorders in people with an ID. Studies in developed countries have explored the impact of the diagnostic overshadowing bias (DOB): the tendency for health practitioners to misattribute mental health symptomology to a client's ID, rather than a separate mental health disorder. To date, no study has investigated the presence of the DOB in Bangladesh. Method: A range of Bangladeshi health practitioners (N = 243) were randomly assigned a clinical vignette describing a client displaying symptoms of a mental health disorder. Vignette 1 described a client with an IQ of 105 who graduated from secondary school. Vignette 2 described a client with an IQ of 55 who attended special education. All other details were identical. Participants rated the likelihood of seven mental health diagnoses on a 5-point Likert scale. Results: Practitioners were more likely to diagnose schizophrenia, drug problems and being bullied in people with a typical IQ compared to those with an ID. Doctors, psychiatrists, and psychologists appeared to be more affected by the DOB than community health workers, traditional healers, and allied health practitioners. Conclusion: Findings indicate that the bias may be present in Bangladesh healthcare professionals. The development and implementation of specific training programs to meet the differing needs of practitioners, across the health fields are recommended. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: There is limited Australian research investigating health practitioner knowledge and/or confidence in the diagnosis and treatment of mental health disorders in people with intellectual disabilities (IDs). Method: Ninety-three health practitioners from four professional groups (primary health practitioners, psychologists, mental health practitioners, and alternative therapies) completed a 34-item online survey comprising questions designed to identify participant knowledge of disorders described in the Psychiatric Assessment Schedule for Adults with Developmental Disabilities and the Therapy Confidence Scale-Intellectual Disabilities. Results: Participants demonstrated low knowledge of symptomology and were "moderately confident" to "confident" working with people with IDs. Whilst professional group showed a significant main effect on confidence levels, post-hoc analysis did not detect significant differences between the individual professional groups. Conclusions: Australian participants demonstrated confidence, but low knowledge, in treating individuals with IDs. The development of training to address deficits in practitioner knowledge of symptomology, assessment, and assessment-based communication is recommended. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to provide a commentary on Chan and Baker's article on the social validity of the Aberrant Behavior Checklist (ABC) by exploring some of the advantages and limitations of this and similar tools designed to classify challenging behaviour. Design/methodology/approach: The clinical use of the ABC and similar measures is discussed and contrasted with function-based approaches to assessment. Findings: While classification tools such as the ABC have played an important role in developing the understanding of challenging behaviour, they focus exclusively on the individual exhibiting the behaviour and fail to take into consideration the context in which the behaviour occurs. Originality/value: Considering behaviour in its social and environmental context can reduce the blame and stigma associated with challenging behaviour. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Field education is the most challenging aspect of social work education and there are unprecedented challenges currently measuring good practice with quality outcomes. Thus, it's important to have competency-based key performance indicators (KPIs) to assess social work professional practice. This study is a national, mixed-methods Delphi research study with three rounds. Round 1 required participants (N=46) to provide open-text qualitative responses on how to assess students' competency on placement, meeting core social work values and ethics. In round 2, participants' responses (N=59) were analyzed in relation to AASW Practice Standards. The final round, consensus was obtained from participants (N=71) with 31 KPIs receiving participant agreement. Establishing national agreed-on KPIs is an essential step in maintaining consistency across diverse placement sites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Whilst some research has been conducted into those who engage in non-consensual condom removal, the aim of the study was to explore the relationship between Dark Triad of Personality traits (i.e. machiavellianism, narcissism, psychopathy) and arousal from, intention to engage in, and reported behavioural history of non-consensual condom removal (i.e. stealthing), which is a type of sexual violence. Results found that there were associations between all Dark Triad traits and all types of condom use resistance; individuals who were aroused by stealthing scenarios and who reported a behavioural history of stealthing scored significantly higher on machiavellianism, narcissism and psychopathy compared to those who were not aroused by or did not report a behavioural history of stealthing. Psychopathy and narcissism were found to be significant predictors of a person's reported intention to engage in stealthing behaviour. Future research into the relationship between Dark Triad and other types of personality traits and stealthing behaviour is needed to inform assessment, prevention, and treatment for perpetrators of this type of sexual violence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Staff in healthcare and human services settings are frequently exposed to interpersonal violence and challenging behaviour that requires competence in assessing and managing the associated risks. The pressure to adequately manage these risks can result in high levels of workplace stress. Intervention. Students and workers face many barriers to receiving practical training in risk assessment and management, and serious gaming has shown promise as a method of learning in a realistic, experiential, and safe environment. This study examined whether a serious game was an effective and engaging method for training people to assess and manage challenging behaviours, compared to a traditional mode of learning. Method. The 78 participants in this quasi-experimental study were divided into a serious game condition and a traditional learning condition. Participants were scored on their acquired knowledge across five categories and surveyed on their level of engagement in the learning method. Results. Results demonstrated no significant differences between learning conditions on acquired knowledge, and significantly higher levels of engagement in the serious game condition. Conclusion. Serious games may offer an effective way of teaching risk assessment and management skills to novice healthcare professionals. As an engaging, cost-effective, authentic, flexible, and self-directed learning method, the advantages of utilising serious gaming as a training tool in healthcare and human services are substantial. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research explores the use of simulation technology in supporting and preparing social work students (n = 336) for core professional skills needed for practice. This study utilized a randomized experimental design using a 3 × 3 between-subjects design to assess the impact of the type of simulation (e.g. traditional written case studies, video-based simulations, and live actor simulations) and type of scenario (e.g. family/domestic violence, suicide/mental health and hospital/medical) on social work student's ability to undertake a psychosocial assessment. Results showed that students developed more comprehensive psychosocial assessments when presented with video simulations compared to traditional methods, using actors or written case studies. This research builds evidence for social work to embrace the use of simulation to develop these skills for students in a practice setting that removes not only the fear of doing harm but also the real possibility of harm in complex scenarios. Social work field education is under increasing pressure to meet professional standards, especially with the impact of the COVID pandemic. Thus, the profession must consider alternatives for training students including utilizing technology. While many other professional disciplines incorporated the use of simulation in training, social work has been slow to embrace this trend while favoring traditional teaching methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

People with an Intellectual Disability (ID) are around 4 times more likely to suffer with a mental health disorder than IQ-typical people, however previous studies have shown they may be less likely to be diagnosed. One suggested cause of this is the diagnostic overshadowing bias: the tendency for practitioners to attribute unusual behaviour, thoughts or feelings to a person's ID and not a separate mental health disorder. In the current study N = 87 participants were randomly assigned 1 of 2 clinical vignettes describing a client who is displaying symptoms of mental health disorder. Vignette 1 described a client with an IQ of 105 who graduated from high school. Vignette 2 described a client with an IQ of 55 who attended special classes throughout school. All other details were identical. Participants then rated the likelihood of 7 diagnoses on a 5-point Likert scale. Contrary to our hypothesis participants were not less likely to diagnose a mental health disorder in people with an ID and this was found to exist across all profession types involved in the study. Although these findings indicate that the diagnostic overshadowing bias may not be present in Australia, several factors including a reported lack of confidence in working with clients with an ID suggest the inclusion of ID specific training may be beneficial. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to provide a commentary to Hayward, Poed and McKay-Brown's article by expanding upon some of the reasons for the apparent dominance of Positive Behaviour Support (PBS). Design/methodology/approach: The commentary notes the rise and dominance of Cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) over a similar time frame, and uses both this and ideas from the literature to examine the reasons for, advantages and consequences of PBS's dominance. Findings: The paper identifies three overlapping reasons for the comparable rise of PBS and CBT, and examines the impact that their dominance has had on attempts to manage quality, improve outcomes and train staff. Originality/value: Establishing the reasons for the success of a theoretical approach can assist with the development of other effective interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to summarise the initial experiences of Australia’s National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS). It highlights some of the main challenges being faced by participants, service providers and government, and demonstrates how research can contribute to the ongoing implementation and success of the scheme.Design/methodology/approach The historical basis for the need for a new approach to disability funding in Australia is explored. The opportunities that exist and the difficulties that are being encountered by those entering and working within the new scheme are discussed.Findings Several problems were identified including difficult transitions between existing support frameworks to new “NDIS plans”, and the risk of market failure. Both the problems and their solutions are discussed and it is hoped that collaboration between the Commonwealth Government, service users, their families, service providers and universities can lead to a number of lasting improvements.Practical implications The new funding framework provides exciting opportunities for increasing the funding of people with intellectual and physical disabilities in Australia. Developments in technology, service provision in rural and remote areas and the opportunity to meet aspirational life goals exist alongside a number of challenges, including the need to ensure that those with multiple and complex disabilities retain existing levels of support.Originality/value The implementation of the NDIS is still underway, and opportunities exist to implement changes to the scheme where required. Research findings have an important role to play in the national debate regarding how best to improve quality of life for people with a disability in Australia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Obtaining a fusion, especially to the sacrum for adult deformity correction remains a challenge. Prior to modern fixation techniques, the reported fusion rates for adult scoliotic deformities were low. However sacropelvic fixation techniques for adult deformity continue to evolve. As a result, modern day pelvic fixation techniques have improved fusion rates at the base of long constructs. The purpose of this article is to discuss the history, indications, and modern fixation techniques for pelvic fixation in the surgical management of adult scoliosis patients.Methods: We searched PUBMED using the search terms pelvic fixation, deformity, lumbopelvic, sacropelvic, and iliac fixation. Linkage or association studies published in English and available full-text were analyzed specifically regarding techniques and innovations in pelvic fixation.Results: Sacropelvic fixation should be considered in any patient with a long construct ending in the sacrum, those patients with associated risk factors for loss of distal fixation or high risk for pseudarthrosis at L5-S1, and those undergoing three column osteotomies or vertebral body resections in the low lumbar spine. Current pelvic fixation techniques with iliac screws, multiple screw/rod constructs, and S2-alar-iliac screws are all viable techniques for achieving pelvic fixation.Conclusions: There is growing evidence that pelvic fixation may become the standard for obtaining long fusions in adult scoliosis. Although technically challenging, in selected cases the use of four pelvic screws and/or four rods across the lumbosacral pelvis can help address pseudarthroses, implant breakage, and screw pullout secondary to osteoporosis. Ultimately, indications and techniques should be individualized to the patient and based on surgeon preference and experience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The recent availability of X-ray structures for diverse ligand-bound Family A G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) in multiple conformations (inactive form with an antagonist/inverse agonist bound and active form with an agonist bound) now enables rational drug design efforts that have historically been applied to soluble enzyme targets. Here, we review properties of these GPCR binding sites, using a unique combination of calculated physicochemical properties and water energetics (GRID, WaterMap and SZMAP) to provide a new perspective and rational assessment of druggability for each GPCR target binding site. Examples are described from several well-studied enzyme systems to support this advanced structure-based approach to assessing druggability and to contrast their properties with those of GPCRs. Changes in receptor conformations between the GPCR inactive and active forms evident from the protein structures are discussed, yielding important pointers for rational drug design of antagonists and agonists and a better understanding of GPCR activation. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Structure-based drug design is now used widely in modern medicinal chemistry. The application of structural biology to medicinal chemistry has heralded the ‘rational drug design’ vision of discovering exquisitely selective ligands. However, recent advances in post-genomic biology are indicating that polypharmacology may be a necessary trait for the efficacy of many drugs, therefore questioning the ‘one drug, one target’ assumption of current rational drug design. By combining advances in chemoinformatics and structural biology, it might be possible to rationally design the next generation of promiscuous drugs with polypharmacology. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Ordinary differential equations are often used to model the dynamics and interactions in genetic networks. In one particularly simple class of models, the model genes control the production rates of products of other genes by a logical function, resulting in piecewise linear differential equations. In this article, we construct and analyze an electronic circuit that models this class of piecewise linear equations. This circuit combines CMOS logic and RC circuits to model the logical control of the increase and decay of protein concentrations in genetic networks. We use these electronic networks to study the evolution of limit cycle dynamics. By mutating the truth tables giving the logical functions for these networks, we evolve the networks to obtain limit cycle oscillations of desired period. We also investigate the fitness landscapes of our networks to determine the optimal mutation rate for evolution. © 2004 American Institute of Physics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mental health problems are known to be hard to recognize in people with intellectual disabilities. One factor that may contribute to this is the diagnostic overshadowing bias, which describes the tendency of the clinicians to overlook symptoms of mental health problems in this client group and attribute them to being part of ‘having an intellectual disability’. Although a small amount of research has investigated this in the USA, very little has taken place in the UK. Two clinical vignettes were produced. Both described identical clinical problems, except that one vignette described a man with an IQ of 58 and impaired social functioning (i.e. an intellectual disability) and one a man with an IQ of 108 and normal social functioning (i.e. non-intellectually impaired). Psychiatrists ( n = 274) and clinical psychologists ( n = 412) throughout UK were randomly assigned to either the low IQ or normal IQ condition, and sent a corresponding clinical vignette. One hundred and thirty-three psychologists and 90 psychiatrists responded. Diagnostic overshadowing did appear to be present. Clinicians were more likely to recognize a range of symptoms in those with IQs in the normal range than those with intellectual disabilities. Furthermore, psychiatrists appeared more likely to make this error under some circumstances than clinical psychologists. Diagnostic overshadowing may contribute to the difficulties that mental health professionals commonly experience in identifying mental health problems in people with intellectual disabilities. However, the methodology commonly used in this type of research has a number of weaknesses, and would benefit from an alternative approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives. To develop a screening tool to detect those who may have intellectual disabilities or borderline intellectual disabilities in the criminal justice system (CJS). Design. The items for the assessment tool were based on data from an earlier study. The assessment tool was piloted on 80 participants, who also completed a short form of the WAIS-R. Method. Items for the screening tool were derived using a discriminant analysis procedure with data from a previous study (measuring IQ and other factors in people on probation). A sample of 40 participants with an intellectual disability and 40 with an IQ in the normal range then completed the screening measure and the WAIS-R. Results. The screening measure showed good concurrent validity, and correctly classified 87% of participants. Conclusions. The screening measure is a useful tool for people working in the CJS to use in the identification of those who may be in need of further support owing to an intellectual disability or borderline intellectual disability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The role of the probation service within the Criminal Justice System is to provide support to probationees so they can serve out their probation orders in accordance with certain regulations. These regulations are expressed in a formal contract. The current article reports an assessment of the readability of the current Kent Probation Service's users' contract. A Flesch (1948) analysis of the original document indicated that it required an IQ of 111+ for full comprehension. Using several criteria suggested by the Flesch formula and other literature, the document was revised to improve its readability. Analysis revealed the revised document to require an IQ of 84+ for full comprehension, indicating that the revised contract should be considerably easier to understand than the original. An exploratory study revealed that both understanding and recall were significantly greater for the revised contract than for the original. We conclude that in assessing readability of written materials, it is important that (in conjunction with a Flesch analysis) documents are actually tested on the intended readership. Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The unity of consciousness, or, more precisely, phenomenal unity, is an important property of consciousness and an important area of research in mathematical consciousness science and the scientific study of consciousness. Due to the numerous aspects and complexity of consciousness, the property tends to engender loose or inadequate characterizations. In this article, we introduce the concept and mathematical formulation of model unity. A system has model unity if a single relational model, stretched across the whole system, is optimal. Alternatively, model unity may only be present for subsystems, although there may still be unity at some higher level. As a development in the theory of expected float entropy minimisation, such relational models provide an interpretation of system states and the theory may help to provide insights into questions such as why experience of the visual field is unified and why different people do not have a unified consciousness, for example. This article constitutes a relatively small initial study of model unity. Four investigations were undertaken and are given as examples. A postulate is also given, distilling the foundations of EFE minimisation into a clear statement allowing others to consider whether or not the postulate identifies a self-evident fundamental property of consciousness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The current study aimed to examine the relationship between early adaptive schemas and eating disorder symptomatology in adults. Method: A cross‐sectional, correlational design was used to collect data from 352 females and 36 males aged between 18 and 49 years (M = 25.70, SD = 7.04). Participants completed an online questionnaire, which included The Young Positive Schema Questionnaire (YPSQ), Eating Disorder Examination‐Questionnaire (EDE‐Q) and demographic measures. Results: Four separate hierarchical multiple regression analyses showed that high levels of Healthy Boundaries and low levels of Optimism significantly predicted lower Restraint, Eating Concern, Shape Concern and Weight Concern scores. Additionally, higher scores in Emotional Openness and Social Belonging significantly predicted lower Eating Concern, while higher scores in Self‐Care significantly predicted lower levels of Shape Concern. Conclusion: The findings highlight the protective function that certain early adaptive schemas may play in mitigating eating disorder symptomatology. Moreover, the findings allude to potential modifiable therapy targets in the treatment of eating disorders. Further research is needed to investigate any differences in early adaptive schemas between eating disorder diagnoses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Our series on adherence with prescribed medications considers how it can be improved and the cost of wasted medicines reduced. Here, Jonathan Mason describes the approaches that CCGs can take to improve the use of medicines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Social work field education is facing unprecedented challenges (e.g., increasing student numbers and limited availability of complex scenario placements due to the COVID pandemic). Students need skills in complex scenarios, but exposure to these situations are limited in available placements. This article explored the literature on using simulation in Australian social work education and addressed the challenges and opportunities surrounding this emerging technology. The results revealed a significant gap in the literature on simulation in social work education, which supports the need for exploring and testing authentic simulation-based learning. Effective methods to assess and support students' practice competencies are critical for ethical and effective pedagogies. IMPLICATIONS Social work students often embark upon placement without an opportunity to develop skills in an authentic scenario, resulting in the potential risk of students being inadequately prepared. The social work profession must prepare for a new COVID reality where face-to-face field practicums with clients may not be possible. Research has shown that social work students are often not provided with the opportunity to engage in complex direct practice situations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Jonathan Mason explains the difference between medicines management and medicines optimisation, a new approach that places the focus on how or whether patients use their medicines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sexual wellbeing is an integral part of human existence, characterised by physical, emotional, mental, and sociocultural factors. This study aimed to synthesise and evaluate psychometric measures of sexual wellbeing. Following systematic review methodology, searches were conducted in August 2020 and articles were screened by two independent reviewers. Studies regarding adult sexual wellbeing (≥18 years old), that also met eligibility criteria, were identified and relevant psychometric measures were extracted. A total of 74 unique measures were extracted from 88 papers, representing varying aspects of sexual wellbeing. Sexual wellbeing instruments were categorised by domains (e.g., cognitive-affective) and dimensions (e.g., sexual function, sexual desire), and reliability was summarised. The overall psychometric properties demonstrate that current measures are acceptable, although no single measure captured all domains of sexual wellbeing reflected in the literature. Rather, many instruments measured a single dimension of the multifaceted construct with variation amongst what constituted "sexual wellbeing". A unified approach to sexual wellbeing is needed to ensure clear operational definitions and theoretical frameworks are used to support psychometric evaluation. Clinicians and researchers are urged to critically evaluate which instrument best captures the desired aspects of sexual wellbeing or whether a combination of measures would be more appropriate. LAY SUMMARY: The current study investigated how sexual wellbeing has been examined by researchers within the wider literature. Interestingly, our results found that sexual wellbeing has largely been measured inconsistently, using a variety of questionnaires that only assess one part of sexual wellbeing (e.g., only sexual desire or only sexual functioning). New ways of measuring sexual wellbeing are required to ensure sexual wellbeing is accurately assessed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bacterial spot disease of cucurbits, caused by Xanthomonas cucurbitae, is a major problem in cucurbit‐growing areas worldwide. In the Midwestern region of the United States, pumpkin and squash fields can have greater than 90% infected fruits, leading to high yield losses. While reference genomes are available for this bacterial species, the genetic diversity between different strains and populations is unknown. After performing restriction‐site associated DNA sequencing (RAD‐seq) analysis of X. cucurbitae isolates collected from the Midwestern region, we selected five representative isolates for further characterization, which included whole‐genome sequencing and in vitro enzyme and in planta virulence assays. Our results suggest that minimal genetic diversity exists between these isolates, and that the isolates have differential virulence on different cucurbit host plants. This study contributes to our understanding of X. cucurbitae population dynamics in the Midwestern region and may assist with developing additional management strategies for controlling bacterial spot disease of cucurbits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over recent decades several mathematical theories of consciousness have been put forward including Karl Friston's Free Energy Principle and Giulio Tononi's Integrated Information Theory. In this article we further investigate theory based on Expected Float Entropy (EFE) minimisation which has been around since 2012. EFE involves a version of Shannon Entropy parameterised by relationships. It turns out that, for systems with bias due to learning, certain choices for the relationship parameters are isolated since giving much lower EFE values than others and, hence, the system defines relationships. It is proposed that, in the context of all these relationships, a brain state acquires meaning in the form of the relational content of the associated experience. EFE minimisation is itself an association learning process and its effectiveness as such is tested in this article. The theory and results are consistent with the proposition of there being a close connection between association learning processes and the emergence of consciousness. Such a theory may explain how the brain defines the content of consciousness up to relationship isomorphism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Healthcare providers are at high risk of occupational burnout, which has negative implications on the individual, their profession, the organisation and their patients. Psychologists are particularly susceptible to the repercussions of burnout due to the emotionally draining nature and content of their work. However, research has failed to outline and evaluate effective interventions for burnout within the profession. This study aimed to investigate the treatment effectiveness of burnout through a systematic literature review. Systematic searches of four databases using Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta‐analysis (PRISMA) guidelines were conducted. A total of 4832 articles were identified, and 15 were included in the final analysis. The search was limited to scholarly and peer‐reviewed journals published in the English language, which measured and utilised a form of intervention for the treatment of burnout or stress and included participants within the psychology profession. Interventions identified included mindfulness, training courses, self‐care and other therapy‐based forms of interventions. Approximately 60% of study participants reported moderate to high levels of stress. Interventions were largely variable in modality, frequency and duration of sessions and follow‐up period. Of the 15 studies included within the review, only four measured burnout as an outcome variable, while the others measured stress. Findings of this systematic review indicate that mindfulness‐based interventions may be a starting point for reducing stress; however, the most effective intervention for psychologists who have reached burnout is largely unclear. It is recommended that future studies focus on the identification and measurement of burnout, are more rigorously designed and reported and consider peer‐based online support approaches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Symptom-based diagnostic formulations significantly influence psychological treatment; however, they are not without limitations. Employing a transdiagnostic approach may address these shortcomings. For transdiagnosis to gain wider acceptance, it is crucial to establish a meaningful connection between transdiagnostic measures and symptom expression. Two potential transdiagnostic measures, the Event Characteristics Questionnaire (ECQ) and the Basic Psychological Needs Satisfaction and Needs Frustration Scale (BPNSNFS), were identified based on theories of psychopathology. The present study investigated whether the unique within-person characteristics assessed by each scale could indicate symptom expression over time. Method: Online questionnaires were completed by 290 international participants (86% female) who had experienced a significant event within the past 12 months. The measures included the ECQ, BPNSNFS, and clinical assessments of depression, anxiety, and anger. Results: Results indicated that only the BPNSNFS demonstrated a meaningful connection with symptom expression. A cross-lagged structural analysis revealed that participants experiencing higher levels of needs frustration reported higher levels of depression and anger. Conversely, those reporting higher levels of needs satisfaction reported lower levels of depression and anxiety. Conclusions: The findings suggest that the BPNSNFS can serve as a valuable transdiagnostic tool to enhance the delivery of measure-based care. Further research should continue to explore the clinical role of basic psychological needs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The author reflects on the identification of generic medicine into the branded medicines. He says that a biological drugs (biologics) that are based on sugars, proteins and nucleic acids are not considered as generic drugs. He states that similar biological medicinal products commonly known as biosimilars are not also generic drugs.

The Australian NRL's State of Mind programme was evaluated; specifically, a 1.5-hour intervention for increasing knowledge of mental illness, reducing attitudinal components of mental illness stigma and increasing help-seeking propensity in a sample drawn from amateur rugby league clubs in Queensland. The National Rugby League (NRL) is the pre-eminent rugby league club competition in Australia and New Zealand. Participants, 16 years of age and older, completed a pre- and post-intervention survey capturing four mental illness knowledge measures, four attitudinal measures of stigma and one measure of help-seeking propensity. Results demonstrated that 1.5 weeks after intervention, the 1.5-hour targeted intervention associated with significant meaningful improvements in mental health knowledge, attitudinal components of mental illness stigma and help-seeking intention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sex work is one of the most stigmatised professions in the world. Although research examining other stigmatised populations has found associations between internalised stigma, increased loneliness, and poorer mental well-being, there is limited research examining these associations for sex workers. This is concerning, considering Corrigan's theory that internalised stigma, as well as external stigma, reduces opportunities of stigmatised persons. Further, internalised stigma, loneliness, and poorer well-being have been associated with significant social, mental, and physical consequences for stigmatised populations. As such, this exploratory study investigated sex workers' internalised stigma, and its relationship with their mental well-being and experience of loneliness. 56 full-service sex workers (78.6% females, 12.5% non-binary, 8.9% males, ranging from 18 to 43 years old) completed an online, cross-sectional survey measuring their self-reported internalised stigma, loneliness, and mental well-being. Hierarchical multiple regression analyses (MRAs) supported the hypotheses that higher internalised stigma would significantly predict lower mental well-being and higher loneliness after controlling for age and gender. Internalised stigma accounted for a significant 39.3% of the variance in loneliness, and a significant 12.6% of the variance in mental well-being. Correlations supported the hypothesis that higher loneliness would significantly, negatively correlate with mental well-being after controlling for age. Findings aligned with prior research and supported Corrigan. Limitations of the study are discussed, including the small sample size and the cross-sectional, self-report research design. Identified areas of focus for future research and practice include consideration of other associates of internalised stigma for sex workers, as well as lessening the consequences of stigmatisation for sex workers through reduction of its internalisation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We consider dynamics in a class of piecewise-linear ordinary differential equations and in an electronic circuit that model genetic networks. In these models, gene activity varies continuously in time. However, as in Boolean or discrete-time switching networks, gene activity is driven high or low based only on whether the activities of the regulating genes are high or low (i.e., above or below certain thresholds). Depending on the “regulatory logic”, these models can exhibit simple dynamics, like stable fixed points or oscillation, or chaotic dynamics. The observed qualitative and quantitative differences between the dynamics in the idealized equations and the dynamics in the electronic circuit lead us to focus attention on the analysis of the dynamics as a function of parameter values. We propose new techniques for solving the inverse problem – the problem of inferring the regulatory logic and parameters from time series data. We also give new symbolic and statistical methods for characterizing dynamics in these networks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]